The White Rose Within Red
by FleetlingAmethyst
Summary: Rivalshipping; A masquerade brings Yugi to France in celebration of winter solstice. Arriving to hear about a legend of a phantom wasn't what he expected to hear.
1. Chapter 1, Legend of Lune Demeure Allumé

**Pairings: I hate giving everything away. If you read it you'll find out but I promise there will be rivalshipping. :P**

**Warnings: It's yaoi! Don't like it then go away! Rated T for mild language and violence.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh, only this plot.**

**A/N: I got this idea after watching a moive, I dont know if it's even any good so if i get reviews saying I should continue then I will...**

**So, I hope it's ok...**

Stepping out of the sleek limo Yugi's face was greeted by the chill of one of winter's arctic winds. Winter solstice this year was sure to be the coldest one in years. Yugi noticed many times while gazing out of the frostbitten windows in the limo, the people of France wearing their warmest clothes for what they were sure to expect would be snow soon. The clouds covered the great sky with their grey feeling of mourning. Yet Yugi found them calming and mitigate his possible resentment for having to travel so far away from home for a masquerade. For a ball, a party, in celebration of the coming of winter solstice that would be this Saturday. Yugi wasn't much into parties but was attending for his boyfriend of a year. He was a millionaire, he'd come across his fortune by being the heir of a long, long line of great rulers.

Yugi more considered it of luck that he inherited everything but he never spoke of it to his lover. Yugi was a very shy soul, speaking to ones he didn't know was well out of the question, yet on the other hand his boyfriend was quite the people person. He immensely enjoyed parties which was why they were here, if this masquerade wasn't in France Yugi wouldn't of come. He'd always wanted to see the beauty of the city, the great history of every building, statue, and fountain his bright, large amethyst eyes laid upon. What a better place to want to know more about the history then the Lune Demeure Allumé. He knew that it was one of the oldest mansions in all of France, he wished he knew more about it and with luck his wish would come true.

From standing in front of the magnificent place he was amazed by the architectural detail put into it's gorgeous white walls. He found it hard to tell how many stories sat upon each other but he assumed four. The windows were each shielded by white veils that looked like cream, each one was incredibly still despite the wind that blew around Yugi's blonde bangs and the clothes around him. Large, marble support beams held up the front of the mansion, so to cover you as you stood in front of the large double doors that were equally as white as the lavish walls. All around the mansion were red roses, each one seemingly, somehow looked different from each other though they were all the same.

Yugi couldn't help but smile ever so lightly at the thought of a fairytale. He felt like this place belonged in a famous novel, he would be surprised if it wasn't already. Soon though, this place wouldn't be as peaceful as it was now, soon it would be filled with laughs, cheers, and languages from all around the world. He only wished a moment like this would last on, even though it was destined not to be. He knew surely he would enjoy discovering all this majestic place had to offer, and he had three days to do it before all of the aristocrats showed in their black and white limo's or accelerated sports cars.

Honestly Yugi didn't like all those things, he didn't like extravagant clothes, cars, or homes. He would have rather lived more of a simple life, one where he wasn't surrounded by servants every waking moment of his life. Being with a millionaire clearly wasn't the ideal way of living for him, though he enjoyed his boyfriends home, it was very pleasant but still he felt like so many things were missing. He wasn't saying he was unhappy, he just still wasn't use to living like that or doing things like this. Before all of this he use to work as a secretary to the CEO of a company back in Japan.

What he remembered most about working there was how threatened he always felt, the CEO had been a cruel, heartless man. Yugi remembered having to work on holidays due to his unfairness. Yugi had worked there three long years before quitting after he met his boyfriend who had walked into the building a few times. The first time had been due to his own business but the four other times had been to see him. Yugi clearly recalled him coming in just to give him a heartwarming smile, talk with him for a little bit, then leave and come back the next to do the same thing. Yugi soon found himself going on dates and then before he knew it he was in a relationship.

Things have long since changed since the first time Yugi met him. He always seemed to have something else on his mind when they spoke, often he wouldn't even remember the last thing said to him. Yugi also found that his boyfriend never did much with him anymore, when Yugi asked if he'd like to go out he would reply in a quick notion of "how about later?" or "tomorrow." He began thinking that his mind was troubled, that something was bothering him, so naturally Yugi had become concerned. In hopes of calming himself Yugi had linked his boyfriends strange actions to the masquerade, he surely had to have been even slightly nervous about it.

All of a sudden a hand was placed over Yugi's shoulder In a light motion. Almost like a very slow falling feather. Yugi glanced to the side of him to see his boyfriend, Yami smiling very lightly at him. Yugi couldn't help but smile back, he was glad to see him look happy. Lately his forehead had been creased with worry.

"Are you alright, Aibou?" He questioned in a gentle manor, one he often didn't use.

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to staying in a place that looks so beautiful." Yugi reassured him as his eyes strayed once again to the mansion before them.

Yami sighed a small breath of relief. "Good, I was worried I had forced you to come. I know you don't like leaving Japan very often."

"No. No!" Yugi cried. "I was anxious to come to France. I have never been here before and I know that this city is so full of the unknown that I couldn't help but get excited about it!" Yugi chimed happily.

Yami laughed. "I'm glad France has gotten you excited. I too am very much looking forward to staying here."

Yugi glanced over to the trunk of the limo, watching as servants from the mansion picked up their suitcases to carry into the mansion. Their room must have already been ready for them. Yugi was very much looking forward to this, he hoped that the room they would be staying in had a beautiful view of the city. Yugi felt the soft hand on his shoulder slip down his arm in a slow, hesitant motion until it claimed his hand. He then let himself be led up the light grey concrete steps to the open front doors of the manor. He already felt little butterflies in his stomach coming near this place.

Upon stepping foot in the foyer he gaped at everything before him. The ceiling was very high, painted on it were the words _"__Une belle âme, flambera mon coeur un feu. Une fois qu'I qui courent l'libre arbitre maintenant meurent dans montait du rouge." _In very graceful strokes, the words wrapped around the extravagant, very expensive appearing, chandelier. The arms were a blazing gold, hanging from them were millions of perfectly cut crystals. The lights sat at each end of the arms, bringing great illumination into the foyer. The use of lit candles mounted on the walls was barely needed underneath the great chandelier. The snow white walls were covered in art, paintings off all different meanings and sorts. Even masks hung from some spots between paintings, all of them almost blended into the walls they were just as white.

Underneath his feet was a cherry red rug that descended forward, up the considerably large staircase of marble. Yugi wasn't sure but he assumed it stopped at the double door at the top which opened to revile a young looking man, possibly about a few years older than Yami who was older then Yugi by two. He was very lean and tall, his tanned skin made Yugi believe that he didn't live in France full time. His hair was the color of cinnamon, his bangs fell over his forehead not allowing Yugi to see it and behind him his hair was longer, it reached possibly to his shoulders in slightly tangled strands. He had very glowing blue eyes that reminded Yugi of the coming of winter.

His outfit was fairly simple, he wore a white formal shirt with the sleeves pulled back to his elbows. Around both of his wrists were bulky gold cuffs, as gold as the arms of the chandelier. His shirt was tucked neatly into his black slacks, around his waist was also an equally as black belt and on his feet were very formal dress shoes. Yugi still couldn't see him as clearly since he was farther away but was sure he could see some kind of gold earring on his left ear. Even though Yugi had never seen him before he was going to assume that he owned this mansion.

Yami let go of Yugi's hand as he took a few steps towards the stairs. A very small smirk played along the edge of his mouth. "Seth, it's a pleasure to see you again." He called over to the man known as Seth who had begun his decent down the stairs.

When Seth was in front of Yami he took his hand tightly in his and smirked the very same smirk back at him. "A pleasure indeed." Seth then turned his attention to the shy boy standing nervously a few steps away from them. "And you…" He let go of Yami's hand to walk gracefully in front of Yugi. "Must be Yugi." He smiled kindly before taking Yugi's hand, much more lightly then he had Yami's and lowered himself so that he could kiss it. When removing his lips from Yugi's hand he gazed at him from his slightly lowered position to see the wide spread blush over his soft cheeks. "Yami has told me about you." Seth brought himself back up to his own height then let go of Yugi's hand. "My name is Seth, and I own the Lune Demeure Allumé."

Yugi smiled as best he could back. He was often never good a meeting new people. Especially ones that were respectful enough to kiss the back of your hand. "It's an honor to meet you, I find your mansion completely breathtaking." Yugi replied in a soft, gentle voice.

Seth chuckled at the absent humor. "Thank you, except I should say that I wasn't the first to own this mansion. Only a few years ago did I purchase this place from an extremely wealthy man who had no desire to keep it any longer." Seth turned to walk towards the marble stairs. "I find it funny how he was so desperate to rid himself of it. As you can see this place is no curse." He admitted while leaning against the silver railing.

Yugi came to stand next to Yami while gazing at Seth curiously. "No it's not, did he tell you why he wanted to get rid of it?"

Seth's eyes narrowed before blinking a few times and shaking his head, a very strange action for a simple question. "Why don't we continue this conversation in a more… private and comfortable place?" He pushed himself off the railing before walking around the stairs. "Follow me." He instructed.

Yami and Yugi both walked after Seth, he hadn't realize it but there was a door underneath the stairs. Seth held it open for them as they walked into a new very large bright room completely filled with light. The floor was tiled with an interesting design that one could only tell what it was from a high up position. The colors used were beige, sandy tan, and dark brown. Black, metal candelabra's sat upon thick wooden tables on the sides of the walls next to more masks that this time were the colors of the tiles that made up the floor. Yugi was getting the idea that either Seth or the man before was very fond of them, no wonder a masquerade was being held here.

They strode over to a greatly detailed wooden double door. Carved into the wood were roses with very long stems, the thorns on them were very sharp and jagged looking. The carving almost looked real with how amazing the detail was, it was completely precise. Seth grabbed both black handles of the door to pull open. He was the first to go inside followed by Yami then Yugi.

Inside the room Yugi learned quickly that it was just a simple room, nothing very fancy. There were three large, cushioned, dark green chairs. They matches the walls perfectly, and Yugi finally found himself walking on a beige carpet. He had been starting to wonder if there was any carpet in this vast place. In the middle of the three chairs sat a glass coffee table and near the chairs were the cream veils of cloth in front of the windows he'd seen earlier. The room was completely dark except for the window that brought in a gloomy sort of light, one that was produced from the clouds instead of the sun.

"Please, sit down." Seth voiced as he closed the double doors behind them.

Yugi went to sit down in the chair closest to the window while Yami sat in the one closet to the door. He gazed around the room as best he could, though it was so hard due to the insufficient amount of light. Though something did catch his eye in the darkness. Upon the wall beyond the chair in front of his was another mask, this one was strangely different than the others. The mask was black except for in the eye sockets looked to be two blue gems placed behind the mask to make it look like it had eyes. He couldn't help but wonder why none of the other masks had gems like that.

"Would either of you like anything? Coffee? Tea?" Seth offered as he came over to the chairs. He stood near the chair he would be seating himself at to look at both of them with curious eyes.

Yugi glanced to him from the mask to shake his head. "No, but thank you." He said with a smile before looking back at the mask. There was now a difference he quickly recognized, the gems were gone. Had he just been seeing things? His mind could have just been possibly playing a dirty trick on him, after all he was sort of tired, the plane ride from Japan had been long and very tiring. Yugi ruled it as nothing, he had to of just been seeing things.

"I'm also fine." Yami replied simply. As Seth walked from the chairs to the curtains Yami looked over to Yugi. "I hope your not afraid of a phantom legend, Aibou." Yami told him with a playful smile.

Yugi looked on to him very curiously. He couldn't help the small bit of anxiousness that shown through his purple orb's. "What do you mean?"

Seth pushed back the curtains to let the room be much more illuminated. He tied the curtains back to show the outside world in, the snow had began to fall just like the city of France had anticipated. Yugi could see the side of the mansion in the midst of a flurry of white crystals falling from the clouds. Seth turned towards both of them and smirked. "The legend of Lune Demeure Allumé."

Now he was very curious. He knew that this place had a lot of history but never did he know there was a legend behind it. "There's a legend?" He questioned. Looking forward to hearing more about it.

Seth nodded his head slightly. He came over to the dark green chair to sit. Before beginning he crossed a leg over the other and sat back against the cushioned back of the chair. "The wealthy man ran a great speech about it, though I barely understood with how worked up he was about it." He began a little humorously. "I've met many of rich men in my life, but I can't say I've ever met a rich madman. He was completely convinced of this legend that he was desperate enough to sell it as quick as the snap of your fingers. I cannot say I believe in this legend but it never hurts to know about it and humor the gullible into it." He explained. His eyes often flicking between Yugi and Yami who listened to his words. Yugi much more anxious then Yami.

"The legend the man told me was of a phantom. A phantom that hides within the walls of this very mansion, not a soul knows what he's after or what he wants. He was even to have said to have written the words upon the ceiling in the main foyer. If I recall correctly it says "Une belle âme, flambera mon coeur un feu. Une fois qu'I qui courent l'libre arbitre maintenant meurent dans montait du rouge." The man was so terrified of him because the phantom's eyes are said to freeze you in place, hypnotize you, while he took out a knife to kill you." He proclaimed. Almost gravely to add more affect to the story.

Yugi stiffened slightly at the words he had heard. He knew better then to believe a legend but he couldn't help the fear that crawled into his veins. "What do those words mean?" He asked. Referring to the words that were written gracefully on the ceiling of the foyer. His french wasn't so great, he knew that Yami knew more than he did.

"In english it says "A beautiful soul, will blaze my heart a fire. Once I who run free will now die within the rose of red." I haven't a clue what his words could possibly mean but I doubt that it is of any importance to us. Trusting anyone could have written those words to add to the legend." Seth explained. He almost seemed annoyed.

This made Yugi even more curious. How could anyone even reach that high of a ceiling? There was no ladder high enough in the world to reach it. Of course there couldn't be a real phantom, things like that don't exist. Though he did remain curious on the subject. "Did anyone actually fall victim to the phantom?"

"The man told me that days before a masquerade party one of his guests went missing and was never found, then during his party a few days later a great tragedy occurred. A fire had been started in the ballroom by who they all believed was the phantom, the fire killed two people and injured four. I still find that hard to believe. How could a phantom hide in this mansion for so many years without being caught or seen? I almost think that man was trying to play a joke on me." Seth told them both distastefully.

Yugi suddenly felt a small pinch of fear. People didn't just disappear and never be seen again, still how could a phantom exist? "Did the man ever give you some sort of description of him?"

"The only thing I was told was of his eyes, I have never seen this mythic phantom. He alludes sight of anyone expect for those unlucky enough to get snatched away by him." He stated while laughing. Obviously making fun of the supposed phantom. "You must admit that it is a great legend to tell the guests, to see the look on their faces is completely priceless."

"I agree." Yami finally said from his long silence. "Not to cut story time short but would you mind showing Yugi and I to our room?" Yami questioned Seth as he rose from his chair.

Seth also stood. "Of course not." He told him while heading to the door to open it and let in the light of the second foyer. Making the room much less dark then it had been before.

Yugi, being the last to stand up glanced to the mask once more. He wondered still if what he saw before had just been his imagination running away with him. Either way the crystals he'd thought he'd seen would stay in his memory for a long time. Something about them had almost taken his breath away. He may have only looked at them for a mere few seconds but he felt like they had somehow touched into his soul, marked him into the memory of sight. As in saying the task of forgetting would be impossible. "Seth…?" He muttered while forcing his eyes away to gaze at the brunette who had been looking at Yami before him.

"Yes?" He questioned as Yami walked out of the room to stand outside the doors.

"Why are there so many masks hanging on the walls? I seem to find them everywhere." Yugi asked finally. The curiosity of it almost wanting to eat away at him. He walked past Seth into the foyer before he heard his reply.

"The man who owned this before me had… I guess you could say sort of a fetish for masks. The damn things are bolted to the walls, if I wanted to remove one I'd have to take down the whole wall." Seth told him as he closed the doors behind them.

Yugi found that oddly very strange. He had never heard of anyone with a fetish for masks. He neither had heard of the legend of Lune Demeure Allumé but he seemed to be learning something new every minute here. Soon Seth led them back the way they came, to the main foyer. They ascended up the marble staircase then took an immediate right down a long, almost never ending hall. Yugi found doors upon doors with who knows what inside. The hall kept quite the same often, he walked along a red rug much like the one in the foyer that led from the entrance, up the stairs, to the double doors. There were many potted plants along with tables that held more of the candelabra's that shed light for them.

Once in while they would come across a window that was shielded by their sight. That made him even more curious if the snow was still fluttering to the ground. He hoped it was, then tomorrow he'd be able to really enjoy it. Yugi never knew a moment in his life when he didn't like snow, in Japan it often didn't snow in the winters. Normally it only rained, though he did enjoy the wet weather he much would have rather had it snowing.

"Here we are." Seth told them as he stopped in front of a dark red door. The same color as blood when exposed to oxygen. "I hope everything is to your liking." He said with a slight smirk aimed towards Yami before opening the door for them.

Yugi was the first to walk in and he was instantly impressed. The bedroom was a fair size, not too small and not too big. The bed was a double and pushed against the left wall, a white laced canopy hung from it. The sheets were as white as the canopy and the comforter was a lavish azure. There wasn't much current light in the room expect for a candle lit on the nightstand on the left side of the bed. Upon the back wall was a wardrobe followed by a window that sat right above it. He found it interesting by how the curtains were moving ever so slightly yet he felt no breeze, the window could have possibly been open.

On the right wall was a door that he assumed led to a bathroom then next to the door was a full body mirror which was encased in a silver frame hung onto the wall. He noticed how all of their suitcases were sitting next to the wardrobe, strangely already open and with nothing inside.

"I hope you don't mind but I had my servants already organize your things into the wardrobe and bathroom." Seth admitted. He walked into the room right after Yami had.

"No, not at all. Thank you." Yami reassured while very subtly rubbing his arm against Seth's. A motion unknown by Yugi but well acknowledged by Seth.

Yugi turned from gazing around the room to smile lightly at Seth. "Yeah, thank you." He said respectfully.

Seth nodded. "Then I'll leave you to get comfortable. If you like you both are welcome to join me for dinner at six. The dining hall is downstairs to the left, you'll find it." He reassured them before leaving. Closing the door behind him.

Yugi instantly went to sit on the bed. Glad that it was comfortable. He took his attention to the time for a moment to see that it was thirty after five pm. He hadn't eaten since noon so he was most likely going to join Seth for dinner. "Seth seems pretty nice, how did you already know him?" Yugi questioned. He recalled Yami saying that it was a pleasure to see him again earlier today.

Yami came to stand in front of Yugi. "I've known him for a few years actually. I met him through my business, he's a great translator."

"How come he's so tan though? He couldn't possibly live here all the time?" Yugi asked curiously. He felt left out for the two already knowing each other, but obviously Yami had already talked to Seth about him.

Yami shook his head. "He only comes here in the winter, the rest of the seasons he lives in Egypt." He explained while moving to sit down next to Yugi.

Yugi turned slightly so that he was more facing Yami. "Why does he come here for winter? I would think he'd want to stay in Egypt since I'm sure it's much warmer."

"I'm not exactly sure, but I know that this year he came for winter solstice. There is a party hosted here each time we have one, you could say it's a tradition." Yami explained.

Yugi sort of felt like a burden for asking so many questions but he felt like he needed to be more filled into the events. "Why did we come so much earlier than everyone else if the party is on Saturday?"

"He invited me to come earlier and I felt it would be rude if I said no. Plus coming here was something I think both of us could say we were looking forward too." He explained while gazing around the room for a moment. "The décor is outstanding. I wish my mansion looked half as amazing as this."

Yugi nodded. No one could deny the class and beauty of such a mansion. He stood up and walked towards the mirror, when in front of it had looked at the encasement. So much detail was put into something so simple. He then looked at his reflection. Taking note of his slightly more than normal messed up hair, the red scarf still around his neck from being out in the cold weather. The black long jacket he had on and grey pants along with the nicest pair of shoes he could find. Yugi removed the scarf from around his neck then looked away from the mirror to toss it onto the wardrobe. Barely getting it to land on top of it.

When he looked back he saw a pair of two blue crystals staring intently at him from the mirror. Surprise made him quickly shake his head and close his eyes, when looking back at it he saw just his reflection again. What had he just seen? Did he really just see those crystals or were his eyes playing tricks on him again? Yugi almost wanted to laugh at his own questions. Of course he had just been seeing things, he didn't know why he was thinking so irrationally. Seeing crystals In the mirror wasn't possible, after all he was tired. Going to bed would be smart but skipping on dinner wouldn't be.

"Yami?" He called as he looked to him from the mirror.

He looked up from the floor to gaze at Yugi through the mirror. "What is it Aibou?"

"Do you… Do you believe in that legend Seth was talking about?" Yugi asked softly. Not sure exactly how Yami might react since he hadn't said much with Seth was telling them about it.

He stared idly at him for a moment before laughing wholeheartedly. When he collected himself a short moment later he grew a humorous smile. "Of course not! I didn't believe it the first time Seth told me and I still don't believe it today. Legends and myths are just stories Aibou, nothing more. Think of them as a fairytale if your scared." He told him a little teasingly before standing up from the bed to walk up behind Yugi.

Yugi gave him a look of protest. "I wasn't scared of it! I was just curious if you believed it…"

Yami wrapped his arms around Yugi's waist to pull him closer. "Do you believe in it?" He whispered in his ear.

Honestly Yugi wasn't very sure. From what Seth had told him he knew people didn't just disappear before a party. Though the man could have already been completely crazy and just thought that who ever had gone missing. The fire could have also been by accident, there were a lot of candles lit around this place, something like that was bound to happen sooner or later. "I don't know… I don't really want to out rule it…" Still if Seth said it wasn't true then it couldn't be. After all he lived here for the few months of winter. Surely if the phantom existed he would have seen him already.

Yami chuckled lightly. "Are you afraid that the phantom is going to come get you in your sleep? That he will take you away?" He teased very playfully.

Yugi pushed Yami's arms from around him to turn and frown. "That's not funny…" Yugi would have taken it much lighter if he wasn't still unsure about the whole legend. He probably would have laughed.

"I'm sorry, I was just kidding. I wouldn't let him take you." Yami reassured before kissing Yugi gently on the forehead.

Yugi smiled before hugging Yami around the stomach and placing his head on his chest. After Yami was hugging him back Yugi heard his boyfriends stomach growl. He looked up at him cutely and laughed. "I think your hungry."

Yami laughed also. "Really? And what did my stomach growling give away?" He jested as he let go of Yugi to walk over to the door. "I don't think Seth will mind us going down a few minutes early." He proclaimed as he opened the door for Yugi.

He nodded as he exited the room followed by Yami. Looking forward to what this place would have to offer.

**Reviews would be nice if you want me to continue... **


	2. Chapter 2, Silent Mirrors

**Thanks to who reviewed... I figured I would update even though I don't feel like the story is liked that much. So, I hope you like this chapter and reviews would really make my day... **

For only three people he knew all of this food was way too much. Him and Yami had found the dining room with ease, it was a simple left after going down the stairs just like Seth had said. When they had arrived in the dining room Yugi had instantly been amazed by the majority of food placed out on the long table. There were possibly twenty chairs at this one table but the only places set up to eat were at the end. Underneath all of the silver platters, plates, forks, bowls, and candles the cloth over the table was white with gold trimming. The table itself matched the chairs which were mahogany. On one side of the wall it was almost completely made up of windows, the curtains were pulled back so that they could see from the outside lights the snow still falling.

On the far end where the plates were set up Seth sat already seeming to be waiting for them. When he saw them he smiled faintly. "I'm sure this will be enough food, correct?" He questioned.

"I think it's a little bit too much…" Yugi trailed as he walked down to the long end of the table to sit down on the left of Seth while Yami sat on the right in front of him.

"Well I wasn't sure what you liked so I had plenty of different dishes made." He admitted while then glancing to Yami. "I made sure they made your favorite."

Yami smiled back at him. "Yes, thank you." He said while reaching over to grab one of the small bowls of cassoulet to place down over his plate.

Half the food Yugi was looking had he had never even seen before. Take for example what Yami had grabbed, he had never seen anything like that before. He wasn't sure if he'd even like any of this but he had to eat something. Yugi decided to start out by just taking whatever Yami had taken, it looked appetizing but that didn't mean it would be any good. Yugi picked up his fork that felt like it weighed five pounds and began eating. He could see quickly why it was Yami's favourite, it was very good.

After the minutes slowly went by the silence was broken once again. "How is your room? Is everything alright?" Seth questioned while glancing between the two.

Yugi nodded. "Yes, I really like the mirror." He admitted. Ignoring the strange feeling he got in his stomach when he thought about it. He wasn't going to think about what he thought he saw. He also was not going to tell anyone about it, they'd think that he was crazy.

"Good. I always thought that the guest rooms were comfortable to stay in, sometimes more comfortable then my own room." He jested while waving over a servant who was carrying a pitcher of water. The servant poured some into Seth's glass before he gazed between the two other boys. "Would you two like more water?"

Yami shook his head.

"Could I have some...?" Yugi asked as he picked up his almost empty glass to hold near the servant. They instantly poured more water into the glass and Yugi smiled at them. "Thank you." He said politely. Earning a pleasant smile from the servant that wasn't there before. When the glass was full without it to the point of spilling over Yugi placed it down in front of him. He then resumed eating while listening to the conversation Seth and Yami had started with each other.

"I'm very much looking forward to the masquerade... Tell me Seth, did you find someone to make your date?" Yami asked skilfully.

Seth shook his head. "I'm very picky with dates, I don't pick just anyone." He told him while smirking then gazing to Yugi. "You won't need to worry about it, Yugi seems quite the catch."

Yugi blushed pink and looked away embarrassingly for a moment before gazing back at Seth. "I'm sure you'll find someone, it just takes time."

Seth nodded before standing. "If you'll excuse me." He said respectfully before walking from his seat to the door and walking out abruptly.

Yugi frowned then looked at Yami. "Did I say something wrong?" If he did, he wondered what.

"No. I'm sure Seth must have just forgotten about something." Yami reassured him.

Only a few minutes later did both of them finish eating and Seth still strangely didn't return. They didn't question it much but figured that something must have come up so they left the dining hall and went back to their room. Upon arriving both boys were already pretty tired from the long flight they had and Yugi especially from learning of the phantom and discovering the large mansion. Yami was the one to claim the bathroom first so Yugi just decided to change in the room. There wasn't really much of a difference except having a mirror in front of him while he changed. Though if he really wanted to he could stand in front of the mirror in the room and change, but after what happened earlier he wasn't really interested.

Yugi knew that he couldn't be believing his strange imagination but he couldn't help it. He'd seen those strange crystals twice, he was beginning to get a little nervous and weary if he was beginning to go crazy. He highly doubted it though, he was convinced that it was just his tiredness. Yugi reached into the wardrobe where all his clothes were to pull out his pyjama's which were light purple. He spent the next three minutes changing into them, then with his worn clothes he threw them into his suitcase. Yugi then walked up to the bathroom door and knocking on it.

"Can I come in? I need to brush my teeth." Yugi called through the door.

After a moment Yugi heard the door unlock and he opened the door to walk into the vast bathroom. He noticed how Yami was already changed also and was just leaving the bathroom. He smiled lightly at him when passing. "It's all yours." He said as he placed a hand on his shoulder for a moment before leaving Yugi to the bathroom.

Yugi had to search for a long moment before he found his tooth brush in a strange silver holder. He picked it up and luckily found the tooth paste much easier since Yami had left it out. After brushing his teeth Yugi put everything away and left the bathroom. Before getting into the bed he stretched up his arms and yawned, feeling both of his arms pop slightly. Yugi walked to the bed and hopped in on the side that wasn't already occupied. He got into all of the sheets and snuggled into his pillow facing away from Yami.

"Night Yami." Yugi mumbled softly. He sighed slightly since he rather snuggle with someone else then a pillow. Yami always said he couldn't sleep when someone was too close to him. Though a year ago that wasn't the case. Yugi often wondered what was going on with him, he was so different from when they first were together. He use to be so romantic and sweet, but now it seemed like he didn't care for him as much.

"Goodnight Yugi." Yami replied back. Sounding very tired.

Yugi closed his eyes and curled more up to get comfortable. He didn't know why but at that moment he felt like the only one in the world.

xXxXx

"_Amour, votre ici?_ _Où êtes-vous?"_

Yugi slowly opened his eyes. He swore he had just heard something, though he wasn't sure if it was just in his head. Yugi glanced at the time seeing it was three am. He sighed slightly, It had to just be all in his head. Yugi reclosed his eyes.

_"__Sillage pour moi, bel amour!"_

Yugi instantly opened his eyes again. This time he knew he heard that, not in his head either. That voice, it sounded so desperate and cold. Yet what was it saying? If only he knew French. The voice almost sounded like a whisper to him, yet it was strong like it were right next to him. Yugi sat up slightly in the very dark room to rub his eyes hesitantly. When he brought his hands down he gazed around curiously. The only light shone was through the curtained window, it draped over the wardrobe and onto the floor. Yugi didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Maybe this was a dream?

"_Suivez ma voix, bel amour…"_

All of a sudden Yugi saw the door to the room slowly open, this had to be a dream. In other words this wasn't possible. There was no one on the other side that could have opened it. He did have a strong urge to investigate but he was honestly starting to get a little afraid. Those words that he heard spoken to him he could tell were calling to him, what they were saying he still had no idea. Though they seemed to like the words bel amour, what could that mean? Yugi would have to find a French to english dictionary somewhere in this place. Then he'd be able to at least know what that meant.

Feeling suddenly drawn to the door Yugi got up out of bed to slowly walk towards the door in a sort of half daze. When he approached it he put his hand to it and looked it over for a few seconds before hearing that voice again.

"_Ma voix… Suivez-la…"_

The more he heard that voice the more he craved to hear it again. He didn't know why but something about it made him want to follow it, to see the owner of it. Yugi gazed down the hallway, the voice, it seemed to echo softly like telling him where to go. Yugi began walking down the hallway very hesitantly, he still wasn't sure if he should be doing this but he couldn't control his feet. The hallway was so dark that it was frightening, every little noise made him flinch or jump slightly. Though the voice drained most of his fear, he felt like it was trying to guide him, to help him. Even though he had no idea where it was leading him.

As he approached a door he noticed that there was moonlight coming from it and the voice stopped echoing. Did that mean this was where it wanted him to go? Yugi trusted his gut and gently pushed the door open.

"Hello…?" He murmured very softly. When he entered the room he thought it may have been a bedroom but it wasn't. The room was completely barren except for three large full body mirror's that were hung on the three different walls. What made the room light was the window that was open and blowing in cool winter air. That was strange, who would leave the window open? Yugi walked into the room to the window. He gazed out of it for a moment, taking in the view of France, from here you could actually see the driveway from where he had been technically yesterday. If someone wanted they could watch who drove up whenever they wanted form here.

Before he froze Yugi closed the window and locked it tightly. He then turned to walk in front of one of the mirrors, again it was detailed beautifully with gold. Never had he seen a mirror look so clear before, even the one in his room didn't compare to this one. The glass was so perfect that it looked as though there were actually two of him. Yugi slowly placed his hand onto the mirror as his refection did the same. After a moment he removed his hand and turned away from the mirror to gaze around the room. Why was he led here? Why did the voice want him to see mirrors?

Yugi held his hands close to his chest, suddenly feeling unsure about this. Maybe he shouldn't have come, he should have just stayed in bed. What if that voice was just all in his head and he had unconsciously led himself here? "H-Hello…?" He called out again.

All of a sudden the light in the room all but evaporated. Like someone had just put out the moon, horrible fear rushed over him as he gazed around at the dark room he could no longer see anything in. His eyes weren't adjusted to pure darkness anymore. Yugi wanted to run but he didn't even know what happened to the door, he couldn't risk running into a mirror. He was left to stand idly still while he felt as though the room around him was disintegrating.

When he looked back forward he gasped when he saw two glowing blue eyes staring down at him through the darkness. The eyes looked just like the crystals he'd seen. Yugi didn't know what to think or do, he couldn't even see who it was or if it was even a person. Yugi began stepping backwards. Trying to get away from that gaze on him that seemed as though trying to freeze him in place. Each time he took a step back the eyes came closer. He almost wanted to scream but he kept it in, instead he wallowed in his fear. Letting It fester inside his mind and heart. Not sure of what to do in this kind of situation.

Yugi looked away as he felt a presence close to him. He held his hands up in front of his face so to block him from the eyes, he felt as though this was some kind of strange dream. Like he'd wake up any minute, though something inside him was telling him he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon. That fact just fueled his fear. He wasn't sure if he should even say anything, maybe keeping quite was safer for him. That way there wouldn't be a chance of enraging whatever was in front of him.

Abruptly he noticed a change in light from beyond his closed eyes. He very slowly opened his fright filled eyes, somehow the light had returned to the room, like the moon had been rebuilt in only a matter of minutes. He wasn't sure if he should look at the eyes now but knew he would have to if he wanted to find the door to escape. Yugi gazed back forward and brought his hands back down to his chest to see who was now in front of him. Quickly his bright amethyst eyes widened in horror.

A man stood in front of him, much taller than himself. He wore a white mask that covered his entire face except his eyes, there was what looked like blood spots on underneath the eye sockets, there was also a crack in the mask that spread from the outer corner of the eye socket to the cheek. He wore a long back cape with a hood that covered the forehead of his mask, the cape covered what he could have been wearing so Yugi couldn't see it. His eyes were what captivated him, they were so blue but made him feel cold inside. Yugi couldn't help but stare mindlessly at his eyes.

Yugi was so afraid but he couldn't get away, that gaze on him kept him in place. Like being frozen in place. Quickly Yugi realized something, that this had to be the phantom. His eyes were exactly how they had been explained. Knowing that death would be the outcome if he kept staring he quickly looked away and ran past the phantom to the door. He didn't look back as he sprinted out of the room, his heart beating so fast that he wouldn't be surprised if it burst out of his chest.

When he heard footsteps trailing behind him Yugi ran faster to get away. Luckily his room wasn't that far away, when he reached it he quickly entered his room, shut the door, and locked it. When he knew he was safe he slowly walked to the bed and got back into it. Not even wanting to think about what just happened, there was no way any of that was real, his imagination was just running away with him. There was no phantom. He had to have been dreaming, and that was what he was going to believe as he fell asleep once again with a pair of blue eyes staring at him from the mirror.


	3. Chapter 3, Caught in a Lie

**Thanks to who reviewed. I guess I'll keep updating for now... If I get enough reviews for this chapter I'll update again.**

**Enjoy.**

When Yugi woke up again he was greeted by light. Though the clouded light which wasn't a surprise, after opening his eyes he laid in bed for a moment before glancing over to the time to see it as nine am. He then looked to the window to see snow falling down, he couldn't help but smile at it while getting out of bed to lean over the wardrobe to gaze out at the snow covered grounds. He was definitely looking forward to going out into it.

"Good morning Aibou."

Yugi glanced to the side to see Yami coming out of the bathroom with his pajamas in his hands. He placed them on the wardrobe while also looking out of the window with Yugi.

"Morning Yami." Yugi replied back.

"Breakfast will be in thirty minutes so do you think you could go shower, please?" Yami asked as he moved to walked over to the bed to sit down on the edge of it.

Yugi turned to look at him and nodded. He then gained a weary look. "Yami… I had a dream about the phantom last night… It was so terrifying…" Yugi mumbled notable to forget those eyes and that horrible mask over his face. He couldn't believe how vivid that dream had been. Like it was real.

"Well, it was just a dream. There is no phantom." Yami then glared at the floor. "I guess I should have stopped Seth from telling you. I didn't realize you'd start having nightmares about it." He said distastefully.

"I'll get over it…" Yugi trailed as he turned back to open the wardrobe and find some clothes to wear for the day. When he found something he walked into the bathroom then shut the door. After locking it he sighed while placing his clothes on the large white counter. He then gazed at himself from the mirror to frown sadly. He missed the old Yami, he remembered when he use to tell Yami he had a bad dream he would have held him for hours even if he had gotten over it. Yugi didn't know what changed, did he do something wrong?

He sighed again as he went to turn on the shower, after it was ready he pulled and tugged his clothes off and let them drop onto the ground. He waited a few minutes before entering the shower. As soon as he did the thoughts of that dream came to him, making him feel cold inside. Everything that had happened had been so strange, he still didn't understand why he felt like it was almost real. Everything he remembered so clearly but it wasn't possible that it had really happened. His imagination has been so crazy lately that his dreams were now starting to run away with him.

Everything about the phantom that he'd seen was still in his head, he still remembered exactly how he looked. That mask was completely horrifying and grotesque, no wonder that man had been afraid of him. Though he didn't exist. There was no phantom, he was a pure myth. Though that room he'd seen in his dream, he wondered if that was an actual room in his mansion. If it was then that would be scary since he had never seen it before. If you haven't seen it before then how could he dream about it if it was real?

Yugi really didn't want to think about this anymore. He rather just forget the whole ordeal and settle his mind with there was no phantom.

xXxXx

After fifteen minutes he finished his shower and got dressed in his purple shirt, formal black jacket, black pants, and the same pair of shoes he'd worn yesterday since they were the only pair of shoes he'd brought with him. Then after brushing his teeth he left the bathroom to see Yami sitting on the bed like he had been before.

Yami looked up and smiled slightly. "Ready?" He questioned.

Yugi mustered up a smile and nodded. "Yeah."

Yami then stood up and took Yugi's hand to lead him out of the room. While they walked to the stairs Yugi couldn't help but glance back the other way, where he had gone in his dream. Yugi quickly snapped back and remembered he needed to get that off his mind. So he started conversation in hopes of forgetting about that horrible dream.

"How was your sleep?" Yugi questioned softly.

"It was good, that bed is very comfortable." Yami admitted. "Besides the dream, how was yours?" He asked back.

Yugi shrugged his shoulders slightly. "It was alright." The fact that Yami hadn't heard the voices last night reinforced that it was a dream. But there he went again, thinking about the dream. Yugi frowned slightly to himself. He didn't realize how hard it actually was to forget about that. For some reason he just couldn't get it off his mind.

"I'm sure tonight will be better…" He suddenly squeezed Yugi's hand tightly. "If you want, we could do something a little bit more exciting before bed?" He hinted suggestively.

Yugi couldn't help but blush slightly. "I don't know…" He trailed.

"Well think about it." He replied.

When they reached the stairs Yami led Yugi down them then they made their way to the dining hall which they managed to enter a few minutes later. Instantly different smells entered Yugi's nose upon stepping foot in the dining hall. He gazed at the table to see all sorts of different breakfast foods, causing him to just remember how hungry he was. Yugi let go of Yami's hand to sit down where he had sat before. This time Seth wasn't there before them though just before Yami was about to sit down he walked into the hall.

"Good morning both of you. Don't wait on me, you can eat." He told mostly Yugi who had been eyeing all of the food. "Though if you don't mind, I'd like to steal Yami away for a moment. I need to speak with him in private about something." He said while then gazing to Yami.

"Of course." Yami said while moving back away from the table to follow Seth outside of the dining hall.

Yugi couldn't help but feel a little ditched. They had after all just pretty much left him, Yami seeming pretty anxious to get out of the hall. Still, if Seth needed to talk to him about something then he respected that. What Yugi assumed was that it was about the party in two days, or maybe something about translation, after all Yami had said that Seth was a very good translator. Maybe instead of looking up the word bel amour he could just ask Seth, that would save him so much more time instead of having to find a french to english dictionary.

Hearing his stomach growl Yugi decided to just start eating since Seth said it was alright. Yugi looked over the large display of food he had to choose from, waffles, pancakes, scrambled and fried eggs, crapes, fruit salad, and bagels with all different sorts of spreads to put on them. There were many other things but he could sit and list them forever but he really rather eat. Yugi decided on having two waffles since pancakes were just wannabe waffles. He spread strawberry jelly on them since he wasn't in the mood for syrup. He then cut them up into bite sized pieces and began eating them silent while gazing at the wall in front of him since there wasn't much else interesting to look at.

All there was besides a freaky tan mask, was a large painting. He couldn't quite depict what was going on in it but he did notice a few interesting things about it. First was the many red rose bushes around someone standing in the middle of the picture who was gazing at a large mansion burning down. What was strange was that the mansion in the picture looked exactly like the mansion he was staying in now. Was there more history to this place then he knew? Yugi stabbed a piece of his waffle and ate it while thinking about the possible meaning of the fire. Also who was the man standing watching it burn? Did he light it on fire and why would someone want to light such a beautiful place on fire? Yugi wasn't sure but he would like to know.

After he finished eating his waffles and having some of the fruit salad it had been at least ten minutes, he was starting to become worried. Why weren't Yami and Seth back yet? Had something happened to them? Being curious Yugi got up from his chair to go see if he could find them. As soon as Yugi left the dining hall he saw a little bit down farther in the hall a door slightly open with a light coming from it, that being his only guess where they were Yugi walked to it.

When in front of the door he peeked through what he could, the door wasn't open very much but enough for him to see some of the room. He could see part of a window, an olive colored couch, a lamp, an end table, and Yami standing facing towards the other side of the room with his arms crossed over his chest and a frown on his lips. Yugi knew eavesdropping wasn't right but he wanted to know what could possibly take them more than ten minutes to talk about.

"I don't understand you Yami." Seth said from somewhere Yugi couldn't see. "Though you do know that seeing me like this will end badly."

What was Seth talking about? Yugi listened more intently.

Yami's frown all of a sudden turned into a smirk. "So? It's worth it."

Seth came to stand in front of Yami with the same smirk Yami wore, one he was quickly starting to dislike. Yugi watched as Seth used his hand to tip up Yami's chin, then lean down and kiss him. Not anything friendly either, but a very easily passion. Yugi stared in disbelief, Yami had been cheating on him? No wonder Yami had seemed to lose interest in him, he'd been thinking about Seth. Yugi just didn't want to admit it. He avoided that option completely because he loved Yami, or did. Seeing Seth wrap his arms around Yami's waist and Yami let his arms fall upon his neck made tears well in his eyes. How could he? How could he do this to him?

By what Yami said he seemed to barely even care for him anyways. He didn't care that he had broken his heart or made him cry. Yugi put a hand over his mouth to muffle a sob. Not able to control watching anymore Yugi quickly ran away from the door, down the hallway, up the stairs when he reached them, down another hallway, then into the room. When inside he instantly slammed the door shut and let out a heartbreaking cry. He went over to the bed and slumped down onto it. He covered his face with his hands as he cried into them. How could Yami do this to him? Did the time they spent together mean nothing to him?

His whole relationship had been a complete lie. He'd thought that Yami had loved him, clearly that wasn't true, he'd loved Seth the whole time. This made Yugi question himself, did he even know what love was? Has he ever even really loved? How could he have been so naïve? He should have paid attention to the signs that something was wrong, instead he just ignored them and pretended that something else was wrong. He didn't want to believe that Yami was just using him. He should have known something was wrong when he wouldn't cuddle with him at night anymore. Now the price of it was this, becoming a broken hearted mess on the bed crying his eyes out while Yami made out with Seth.

Yugi could see why Yami liked Seth so much, he was rich and Yugi wasn't. He owned this huge mansion and Yugi didn't. He knew different languages and could translate and Yugi couldn't. Compared to Seth, Yugi was nothing. Before even meeting Yami he had been practically poor. He should have expected this from the very beginning.

All of a sudden Yugi heard a soft knock on the door. Afraid that it was Yami he quickly wiped his eyes then looked up with a prepared excuse as to why he was crying when he didn't see Yami, but a phantom. He knew he was awake this time, it was no dream, there was an actual phantom. Yugi stared at him with his red rimmed eyes in fear as he came closer to stand over him. Right now he didn't care if he had come here to kill him, his heart was already snapped in half, death would just make it sweet.

For moments on end Yugi kept his gaze with the phantom. He didn't say a word while the seconds turned into minutes. Yugi sniffled a few times but still didn't look away, he didn't understand why he was even here or what he wanted from Yugi. All of a sudden he abruptly sat down next to Yugi on the bed, something that was very unexpected and scared Yugi slightly with the closeness. He wanted to scoot away but stayed in place. He didn't want the phantom to think that he was afraid of him, maybe he wasn't going to kill him. Maybe there was another reason he was here.

Yugi looked on to him, he began wondering if he even had a face underneath that mask. What if there was nothing there? Yugi watched as he suddenly pulled something from inside his cloak, scared of a weapon Yugi leaned back slightly. He was almost shocked to see that it was a black rose, he had never seen one before. His wrist was then harshly grabbed, he winced at the tight grip on him but over time it slowly loosened. The phantom placed the rose in Yugi's hand and made his finger's wrap around it.

For some reason it became very painful. Like something was cutting him. When he produced a whimper the phantom let go of his wrist with black gloved hands. Yugi let the rose fall to see that his entire palm had been cut open, blood slowly seeping out of his cut. He gazed to the rose to see the part of the stem he'd been holding was covered in his blood along with a sharp thorn that had ripped the skin on his palm. Yugi looked at the phantom out of hurt as he closed his hand that was bleeding and held it close to his chest.

"Why… Why did you do that to me…?" Yugi questioned softly but in a pain filled voice.

The phantom didn't reply. He picked up the bloody rose and looked over Yugi's blood. He then held the rose between them for both to see the black petals turn grey, then very slowly and magically turn deep red. Like Yugi's blood had made the rose petals change color.

Yugi was stunned into silence. How was that even possible? Rose's couldn't just change colors, could they?

"_Mon amour…"_

Yugi stared at him. He was the voice? The phantom had called to him the other night? He was the owner of that voice he remembered he had craved to hear.

The phantom took Yugi's wounded hand from in front of his chest and force it to open. He was amazed again when the wound was gone. The phantom then placed the rose back in Yugi's hand to make his fingers wrap around it. Yugi then found two pairs of hands warping around his one hand and his eyes connecting with cobalt.

"_Soyez ma belle âme…"_

Yugi somehow felt so connected to those words. Just by the way they were said, he sounded so desperate yet filled with chilling emotion. If only he knew what he'd said. Yugi frowned slightly. "I don't understand…"

"Yugi?"

The boy looked towards the door at hearing a different voice to see Yami looking at him curiously. Yugi instantly looked back to the phantom to no longer see him, stunned, Yugi gazed all around for him. All that was left was the rose in his hand. He looked it over and sighed slightly, if only he had known what he'd said.

Yami came into the room to stand in front of Yugi. "Are you alright? You look pale."

Yugi looked to him. The pain still stabbing him in the heart but it had grown cold. He wasn't going to tell Yami what he saw, he couldn't handle speaking of it to him yet. "I'm fine." Yugi said quickly while getting up to walk around the bed and sit on the other side. He placed the rose down on the nightstand, almost wishing the phantom was still here.

"Where did you get that rose?" Yami questioned while following Yugi around the bed to stand in front of him once again. Totally clueless that Yugi knew the truth.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me." Yugi admitted truthfully. He didn't believe in the phantom. Yugi hadn't either but he'd met him and seen him with his own eyes.

Yami crossed his arms. "Try me."

"The phantom." Yugi said.

Yami stared like waiting for Yugi to say just kidding. When he didn't he laughed. "Seriously, who gave it to you?"

Yugi frowned. "I am serious."

"Yugi… Your head must be playing tricks on you because there is no phantom." Yami told him.

"How do you know? You've never seen him." Yugi replied back.

"No one has ever seen him." He remarked.

Yugi looked back at the rose. "I have. Why won't you believe me?"

"Because your not making any sense! Do you even know how crazy you sound?" Yami questioned him. A little rudely, unknown if it was intentional or not.

Yugi's eyes welled at this. He then abruptly grabbed the rose and dashed out of the room. Not wanting to have an argument with Yami or be called crazy when he wasn't. There wasn't anything wrong with him.

"Wait, Yugi!" Yami called. He sighed slightly when he was gone. Surely a feeling of regret washing over him.


	4. Chapter 4, Love or Fear

**Here's chapter four! I just thought i'd mention that I already have this story completely done but I wait for nice reviews that make me want to update. They mean so much to me and I'm always so happy to see them. You have no idea .! I'm really glad that this story is liked! Writing it was actually pretty hard because the phantom's emotions were very different then what I normally go off of for who he really is (which is so obivous.) But for the people who may not know I wont say anything. xD**

**Enjoy and reivew please! :)**

* * *

><p>Yugi dropped down in front of the large gold encased mirror, tears welled over his eyes. He needed to get away from Yami, every time he saw him he was reminded of that picture of him kissing Seth in his mind. He hated that Yami was pretending to care about him, why didn't he just tell him that he was cheating on him with Seth so that Yugi wouldn't have to tell him he saw it? This was like living hell, he couldn't confront Yami about it because he wasn't sure if he still loved him or not, he was so confused and was desperate for answers.<p>

He needed someone who would be there for him, someone who would listen to him as he vented out his feelings. He didn't know what he was doing in this room of mirrors but he hoped that the phantom would come for him. He was still afraid but after giving him the rose Yugi felt differently, he wasn't as malicious as Yugi once thought. He didn't even know why he was afraid of him, was it because of the supposed history he had? Or was it because of the bloody mask he wore? Maybe because Yugi had yet to understand a word he spoke. Yugi couldn't help but let the fear enter his veins when seeing him, but there was something else underneath that. Something he still had yet to discover, though he had an idea.

Yugi held tightly onto the rose then looked up into the mirror, already seeing the two crystals eyes staring back down at him. "Are you always watching me?" Yugi called through his tears. He felt like that phantom was always there. Behind the mask, in the mirror, and in his dreams. Yugi gazed down at the rose, Yami had never given him a rose before. Should he be doing this? Trying to talk to the phantom?

_"I am always watching you."_

Yugi instantly gazed back up. The eyes still stayed trapped within the mirror gazing down at him. Yugi didn't know if to be afraid of that or comforted. He did feel slightly better at hearing his voice in a language he could understand. Now they could communicate and Yugi could try and understand him better, or learn to fear him more.

"Why did you give me this rose?" Yugi questioned.

The phantom didn't answer. Only his eyes in the mirror began to fade.

"No! Please don't go." Yugi almost begged. "I want to know more about you… I don't… I don't want to fear you."

_"Why do you fear me? Why do you run from me? Yugi, why do you cry for him? Wont you cry for me?"_

Yugi was compelled to answer all the questions but he felt unsure. His voice had sounded so harsh and cruel. Yugi placed a hand on the mirror and continued to look up at the tall mirror, at the eyes that still glowed bright at him. "I was afraid that you were going to hurt me… I have heard your legend and was scared you would kill me…"

The phantom laughed. A cold, dark, emotionless laugh. One that made Yugi back away from the mirror. _"Kill? Hurt? Such words only describe a myth. To believe is to be naïve." _He stopped for a moment before speaking again. _"Your fear, I can feel you deeply fear me."_

"But… I don't want to fear you…" Yugi admitted softly. His tears had stopped but they left streaks on his cheeks.

_"What do you want from me? Why are you sitting before me? Do you want someone to be there for you? Someone who will listen to you? Someone who will hold you at night…"_

"I… I don't know what I want… I'm so confused…" Yugi admitted as he let go of the rose to wrap his arms around himself like trying to be comforted.

_"So you come to me in hopes of guidance? A phantom you fear…?"_

"I have no one else to speak to… I found out that my boyfriend is cheating on me with the owner of this mansion… I'm alone…" Yugi spoke in a very forlorn voice. One drenched in sadness. His tears beginning to form in his eyes again.

_"You are never alone. Ever since you arrived here I have watched you. He is a fool for thinking of two loves then one." _He growled beforehis eyes disappeared.

Yugi's eyes widened slightly. "Wait! No…" Yugi cried his eyes gazed to the ground as his tears slipped down his soft cheeks. He didn't understand why he suddenly cared so much that he was gone when last night he'd been so desperate to escape him. Maybe it was because he was desperate to talk to anyone. Even if it was a phantom. He didn't have anyone else, he didn't even know what he was going to do tonight. He couldn't sleep in that room, after the party he couldn't go back with him and live a lie.

_"You don't listen."_

Yugi flinched and turned to see the phantom standing before him. He resisted the urge to run or scream from the shock of seeing him again, he need to learn to let his fear go.

The phantom harshly grabbed Yugi's arm to force him up. His blue eyes burned fire as he shook Yugi. _"I will forever haunt you! How does it feel to know that you can never escape me!" _

When Yugi was let go he quickly stepped away and held his hands to his chest in terror. His eyes wide as tears still spilled from them.

The phantom then turned away from Yugi. _"I am your curse and you are my beautiful soul…"_

Yugi stared at his back for a long moment. Still scared of being shaken again. "I… I am your beautiful soul…?"

He was ire silent before turning to face Yugi again. His eyes much calmer than before. _"How long I have waited for someone to captivate my stone heart… I have seen hundreds of worthless, pathetic people come through this mansion. None of them even remotely worth my time, but you… When I saw you I could feel my heart break from its stone prison. For I knew I had found my beautiful soul, my love. You." _He suddenly picked up the rose that had fallen to the ground. _"You filled a rose with life… You will fill my life with love."_

Yugi didn't even know what to think. Though he couldn't control his actions as he stepped closer to him then reached up and pulled the mask off his face. To see who claimed their love for him.

Before Yugi even saw a glimpse of him he was ruggedly pushed. His body hitting the mirror and shattering it into millions of pieces. He cried out as they cut him then fell onto the ground and shook in pain. Yugi managed to look up and see the phantom with his mask back on. Anger filling his eyes once again.

_"A horror to let the world see my face. If you do you must be dead."_

Yugi whimpered as he looked away from him to his entire arm that was covered with bleeding cuts. "I- I'm sorry…" He muttered as he could feel a light headedness coming on from blood loss.

_"I have forever suffered within walls and mirrors, the pain you feel is little compared to the pain of a dead heart. I live within my own solitude, for all my life I have never known this feeling of love. I have been a feared monster of imagination, for no one has dared approach me within my own mirrors." _The phantom leaned down and picked up the bloody body that was Yugi who was still barely conscious. _"But you approach me as if a friend, it would only be polite to invite you into my home." _He then walked through the broken mirror into a whole new world as Yugi went limp.

xXxXx

Yugi awoke with a start who knows how many hours later after being shoved into a mirror. He gazed around franticly to figure out where he was, it looked to be a dark, grey room, a room that felt like a tomb. There was no life within this room, everything felt dead, as if the essence was clinging to the walls. There were no windows, the only light was coming from a candle lit on a nightstand next to the bed Yugi was seated on. The sheets underneath him felt strange, foreign. He noticed also that there was an old wooden coffee table in front of a couch which was also near a wooden chair that was cluttered with books. Even the chair had a few books stacked onto it.

Feeling a sudden stinging throughout his arm Yugi gazed at it to see that he was no longer wearing his black coat and that his arm was wrapped up in white gauze. He tried to flex it but whimpered slightly from the pain. Where was he? This room didn't even look like it was inside the mansion. What he did know was that he needed to get out of here. Trusting the phantom had been a mistake, Yugi didn't know what he was going to do next but he didn't want to stay and find out.

Yugi got up as quickly as he could, making sure not to use his arm. He then walked to the door, as he reached for it he saw the handle twist then was faced with his phantom. Yugi took a step back and unconsciously placed a hand on his wounded arm.

_"My love, seeing you awake raptures me." _He walked into the room shutting the door behind him. Causing Yugi to walk back and bump into the bed. _"Has anyone ever told you that you look like an angel while you sleep?"_

"Where am I?" Yugi questioned hastily. Ignoring what the phantom had said to him.

_"In my chambers, I needed a place to care for your arm. Removing the glass shards was very difficult." _He admitted while moving to the coffee table. He carelessly shoved books onto the ground to place a tray on the open spot. _"I'm trusting you must be hungry, you slept all day."_

"What time is it?" Yugi asked. He was not denying that he was feeling slightly hungry. Though eating food from the phantom made him weary.

_"Eight." _

Remembering the last time told to him was nine meant that it had to be eight pm. So he really had slept all day. "I want to leave…" Yugi said slowly. Unsure of how the phantom may react. His personality was so strange that Yugi couldn't tell if he was even sane or not.

The phantom pulled the metal top off of the tray that kept the heat within the food. He then placed it next to the tray and gazed to Yugi. _"You want to leave?" _He questioned back. Like he hadn't heard or understood Yugi.

Yugi slowly nodded.

The phantom stared at him for a long moment before chuckling evilly. _"Wanting something doesn't mean you will get it Yugi. I have wanted to escape this place for years but have I? Have I ever gotten to see the outside world?" _He moved to the chair and pushed the books onto the ground with a few loud tumbles and thuds. He then sat down and crossed a leg over the other while continuing to gaze at Yugi.

Yugi very hesitantly made his way to the couch. When he sat down he looked to his lap. "W-Why don't you leave?" He asked.

_"Why don't I leave? My naïve love, it is not that I don't but it is that I can't." _He admitted solemnly.

"Then why can't you?" Yugi questioned. He moved his wounded arm into view to gaze at it.

_"Do you really want to know my story? Do you really want to know the truth? My past and present is a gruesome tale, I wouldn't want to offend my beautiful soul…"_

Yugi gazed up at him. Actually seeing hurt in his blue eyes. The phantom was constantly surprising Yugi, he seemed like a monster yet was cable to experience a different array of emotions. Most were hidden by the mask on his face. He nodded. "I want to know you, maybe then I will understand."

The phantom nodded slightly. _"I am cursed, cursed by my own heart or whatever form of heart I have. For if I leave this mansion my heart will bleed until I befall my death."_

Yugi's eyes widened slightly. "How can that be possible…?"

He closed his eyes and shook his head very slightly. _"It is the curse of a dead heart that was never capable of love. I may be a creature of the walls and mirrors now but I was once a child, my brother and I never got along and eventually grew to greatly resent each other. Many times we would play dastardly tricks on each other and for the punishment by our step father I was beaten and whipped while my brother went free." _He reached up to touch his mask. _"I wear this mask to hide my face from the world, to hide the cruelty of my past." _The phantom let his hand fall back down before continuing. _"Our blood parents hadn't wanted either of us, I remember clearly fending for my own while trying to ignore the constant shadow of my brother that was always behind me. To steal all that was mine." _

_"For this mansion was once owned by our repulsive step father. This room we are in now was where I have grown up my whole life, completely shunned from society. My family wanted no one to know of the horror I had gone through so I was forced to wear this mask. I feel as though it is my face, for years I have lived with it on, never taking it off. I don't remember the last time I have looked at my own skin… For I feel ashamed to. I am a monster who does not disserve such a beautiful soul such as yours." _He suddenly opened his eyes. _"Leave if you want. I must remain here… Forever."_

Yugi stared at him for a long moment. He suddenly felt guilty for fearing him, he seemed just so misunderstood and taken as a monster by his appearance. He didn't know what really kept him from getting up but he still did want to know more. "Please, keep going." Yugi encouraged softly.

The phantom gazed at Yugi for a long moment before looking away._ "Why? Why do you want to understand?"_

Yugi frowned slightly. "Because… Maybe…" He trailed off. Not really sure what to say, he knew that he had a choice to make. A choice between love and fear. For should he fear the phantom? Should he run and leave him to suffer? Then, what about love? Could he save the phantom from his solitude? Still listening to his voice made Yugi crave it, but did he just pity the phantom for his past? Is that why he wanted to help him? Is that why he felt guilty now? Still Yugi couldn't trust him, for after he was pushed into that mirror the fear grew. Fear can easily overcome every emotion. If he did want to help him then he would have to overcome it. "Maybe I could help you…" He muttered.

_"You want to help me?" _He asked. Strangely with a mix of surprise and anger. _"Would you still help me even if you knew that I have killed others for finding this place! Would you help a murderer! I have set fire many times out of my own spite! I intended to kill anyone who despised me!" _He roared while suddenly getting up. He furiously kicked a book and set it flying to hit the wall across from him. He then came to stand before Yugi and glower down at him. _"You want to help me! A monster! A creature of this tomb!" _He reached down to hold Yugi's cheeks in his hands tightly_. "No one has ever offered to help me…"_

Yugi looked back at him with slight terror in his large eyes. He pushed it away as best he could but couldn't stop tears of fear well in his eyes and run down his cheeks.

He was still for many moments, just holding Yugi's face in his hands before he spoke. _"Your fear… You still fear me." _He let go of Yugi's face to abruptly walk away from him. _"Good. Since I am a monster. Your always supposed to fear the monster."_

Yugi let his tears run as he slowly stood up. "I don't fear you." He said bravely. He wasn't going to fear him any longer. He decided between love and fear, and he had picked love.

The phantom turned ire still and completely silent. For moments upon moments it stayed like this, Yugi unsure what to do but he did not dare say a word or take a single step. The phantom's anger was something to be weary of, but not fear. Yugi now understood that it was incredibly displaced. He had no idea how to control his emotions or how to react to a situation. That was why he had been angry about Yugi saying he wanted to help him, he didn't know how to react to it because joy seemed like something he could not show or experience. Much like love. For he didn't know that you don't hurt the ones you love.

_"You don't fear me…? You don't fear me…!" _His voice slowed into a sound of obvious rage. He abruptly turned and his eyes were filled with fire. He approached Yugi and gripped the collar of his shirt very roughly. _"You don't fear me! I will make you forever fear me!" _He yelled as he then turned to throw Yugi onto the bed. _"Keep the fear you have for me! I should be feared! But first you will grow to find the pain in this tomb as I have for many years! Alone!" _He shouted as he faced away from Yugi then left the room after slamming the door so hard the hinges shook.

Yugi couldn't help but cry from the pain of landing on his arm and the hostility shown to him. He found it so hard to remember the personality of his phantom was so diseased. Yugi had to find a way to break through to him, to get him to understand his emotions and stop him from hurting him or anyone else. He still did not understand why the phantom wanted to be feared, why he wanted Yugi to fear him. There was still so much he had to learn about him before things got more out of hand.


	5. Chapter 5, Arrangement to Flames

**Yay chapter five! I just want to thank MukashiNoHikari and Devi for reviewing like each chapter! Thank you so much, your reviews always mean so much to me! :D**

**Enjoy and review for an update! :)**

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><p>Finding that the phantom had locked him inside the room Yugi didn't have any options of somehow getting out. He didn't know how long he would be left here but he had started eating the food that the phantom had left for him due to that his stomach had started growling every five minutes and he rather not starve. The phantom had brought him sliced croissants layered with melted cheese, lemon basil, small tomato slices, and tooth picked with a black olives. They were very good and was disappointed when he found that he'd quickly eaten them all within five minutes. Yugi now sat on the floor near the coffee table, looking over all the books that were sprayed out every where around the coffee table and floor.<p>

He began to notice a certain trend with them. They seemed to all be about some kind of great tragedy, a bloody war, or something involving many deaths. Each book was incredibly thick and Yugi would be amazed if the phantom had read all of them, there had to be at least forty books. Yugi also noticed something else, in some of the books, in red ink there would be certain passages circled. For example in one of the books a part about a sword fight between two men had been circled, some of it even underlined. Yugi wasn't sure what it meant, if it even meant anything. He had looked through possibly fifteen of the books and each one had something circled or underlined in the red ink.

Yugi picked up one of the books he hadn't looked at yet, it was a black hard back with the title written in silvery letters. The name was, _Couleur des coeurs_. If only he knew French he'd know what it said. Yugi opened the book and flipped from page to page, skimming it quickly for anything possibly interesting to read. Though he quickly realized that this book was written completely in French. Yugi sighed slightly, before closing the book something caught his eye. He looked at the middle of a page and noticed the word amour. Still he wished he knew what at least that meant. If he could he'd have to remember to ask the phantom about it.

Yugi then closed the book since he couldn't even read it. He then sighed again while gazing to the wooden floor. Thinking about that story he'd been told made him feel so sorry for the phantom, Yugi had no idea he had such a horrible neglected life. No wonder his emotions were all out of sorts. Yugi really hoped that he would be able to help him, though something about the story didn't make any sense. He'd said that his step father had owned this place, yet he recalled Seth saying a very rich man had owned this place then sold it to him. So that meant either the phantom or Seth had lied to him. Since the phantom didn't seem to be one to lie he had to believe the phantom more, Yugi would never be able to trust anything Seth said again after what happened or what was happening between him and Yami.

Still he had not heard all of the story, so there could be more possibly explaining about the mansion. Yugi knew he'd have to get the phantom to tell him about it, he knew he also had to somehow get the phantom to remove his mask. Yugi wanted to see his face instead of thinking that there wasn't anything there. He'd been close to seeing it before but that had got him pushed into the mirror, Yugi didn't even really know why he had done that. He just had a sudden urge to want to see his face. Yugi also wanted to find out his name, he must have one. The only thing that would be hard was getting him to tell him. The phantom seemed to enjoy keeping many secrets from him. Even though he had been told some of his life Yugi felt like there was still so much more to him that he had yet to discover.

He was still weary of why he cared so much but right now the phantom was the only one he could talk to even though it was incredibly hard. They could work on it and maybe he could get him more accustomed to how to treat people. Yugi wasn't sure how good he would be at it since he couldn't even confront Yami, thinking about him Yugi wondered if Yami was trying to find him, or if he even cared. Yugi doubted it, he was probably with Seth again while Yugi was practically being held captive. Yugi brought his knees up to his face and wrapped his arms around them to place his head to the side of his knee. What had he even done to make Yami not love him anymore?

Another question was had Yami even loved him from the start? Did he just see Yugi and know that he would be the perfect naïve, gullible, victim of his game? Has this whole time he been with Seth? Did he just be with Yugi so that he'd have someone while Seth was in Egypt where Yami said he lived most of the time. Yami obviously has known Seth for longer than they had known each other so the likelihood that they had been together was pretty high. So Yami just kept it a secret from him for a year while Yugi was growing to love him he'd actually been misled into thinking he was in an actual relationship.

Yugi unconsciously began to cry, not realizing the tears that began slipping down his cheeks. He just wanted to go home, he was so sick of being in the mansion already. He remembered just yesterday he'd been so looking forward to being here and now he wished he had never came. He wished none of this had ever happened. He didn't even know how long he would be in here, his phantom had said that he'd wanted him to live in the pain that could mean days before he was free. He should have just gone when he was told to, but then where would he go? He couldn't be with Yami or Seth and those were the only other people in the mansion. Yugi could see now that him and the phantom had something in common. They were both alone. They both had no one.

Yugi couldn't believe that the masked man had spent his whole life in this room. Yugi was probably the only other person to ever see this room, Yugi could never live in here for so long. He would most likely go crazy. There weren't even any windows so he could never see it when it was sunny or snowing. When was the last time he had ever even gotten fresh air? Yugi frowned to himself, he needed to find a way to remove that curse from the phantom. There had to be a way.

Now realizing that he was crying, Yugi wiped his eyes off with the back of his hand before standing up. He hesitantly went back to the bed to sit on it. He then looked to the nightstand where the candle sat and flickered softly. Yugi noticed that there was another book sitting in the slightly open drawer. Curiously Yugi pulled it open to pick up the book and place on his lap. He opened it and saw something sitting there, what seemed like just a piece of paper folded up. Yugi picked up the paper to unfold it and had not expected to see what he did. This paper was a map, a layout of the whole mansion. Every room, hallway, and bathroom was marked here. Where he currently was marked with a large X.

As he stared at it he noticed more of the red ink at work. This time there were certain places on the map circled, one of which was the ballroom and another was the second foyer. There were many arrows pointing in all different directions and many scribbles of French written all around the arrows, making it almost look like one giant mess. He didn't know what any of this meant but he did know that the red skulls near the circled areas were sure to not be a good thing. While Yugi was trying to decipher it he didn't hear the door open and shut to the room.

_"Such a curious boy aren't you, Yugi?"_

Yugi brought his head up, he then quickly closed the book and placed it exactly where it had been before closing the drawer shut like he'd never looked.

The masked man came to sit down on the edge of the bed to gaze at the young boy. _"Go ahead, ask me about it." _he pressed.

Yugi wasn't sure if it was a trick or not but he asked anyways. "What was a map of the mansion doing in that book?"

_"You could say… it's an arrangement. I call it the arrangement to flames." _he confessed all too openly.

"Why do you call it that and what is it?" Yugi asked. Hoping he wasn't going too far with his questions.

He laughed humorlessly for a sort moment. _"In due time you will know my love."_

Yugi was quite for a moment as he looked down to his lap. "How long are you going to keep me here?"

_"I am not keeping you here. The door is unlocked, you can leave if you want to." _

Yugi instantly gazed up. He was finally free to leave? He got up off the bed hesitantly, the phantom watching him intently as he did so. Yugi walked to the door but stopped when at the edge of the bed to face the phantom. "Can I ask you something?"

He stared for a moment before nodding.

For the first time being with the phantom Yugi smiled very tenderly. "Will you go with me to the masquerade ball on Saturday?"

The phantom seemed to be taken by surprise by Yugi's question. Never the less he did take Yugi's hand gently in his then lean down to place the cold lips of the mask to the back of Yugi's hand as if to kiss it. When he looked up his eyes were soft for once. _"I will attend with my love."_ he said as he let go of Yugi's hand.

Yugi smiled at him a little longer before walking to the door, opening it to his fortune and shutting it behind him. Finally feeling free of that imprisonment. Yugi then looked forward to be faced with a long brick hallway. Yugi quickly began running down it to escape, he tried his best to avoid the dirt on the concrete ground and the shadows that the candles held to the walls made. He didn't understand why the phantom just let him go and he wasn't sure why he had asked him to go with him to the ball but there was a reason for it, he just didn't know it yet.

After running for a much long time he began getting tired but luckily he could see the end of the hallway. He sped up a little faster before after a minute reaching the broken mirror he had fallen into. Yugi walked over the glass shards that still sat on the ground then exited the room of mirrors. He knew that by tomorrow the mirror would be fixed like nothing had happened, then he would have no way to get back to the phantom if he wanted to. Still the phantom was always watching him, if Yugi wanted to see him again he would know.

With nowhere else to go Yugi went to his room. Greatly dreading it because Yami was most likely there, though he had no idea what time of the night it was. By how tired he felt it had to be past ten. Walking down the hallway he had walked and ran down a few times he was glad to be able to see the world outside and not feel like a tomb. After a short moment he stood in front of the door to his room which was already shut. He glanced down to the bottom of the door to see that the light was off. Yugi very slowly reached for the door handle and twisted it. The first thing he noticed was the lump underneath the sheets of the bed.

Relief washed over him seeing that Yami was asleep so that he wouldn't have to speak with him about where he had been. Yugi walked into the room then very quietly closed the door behind him. Since he was much too lazy right now to change into pajama's Yugi just removed his shoes and socks then tip toed to the other side of the bed. He silently slipped underneath the covers and scooted as far away from Yami as possible while doing the same thing he had done the night before. Taking his pillow with him to snuggle closely to him. Wishing that it were someone else.


	6. Chapter 6, Love's Cold Choice

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Here's a cookie *hands you a cookie.* Anyways, this was my favorite chapter to type and for anyone who wants to know I got inspired to write this after watching and reading The Phantom of the Opera. The book was amazing and the moive was pretty good. The phantom in this story was greatly reflected off of the phantom in the book. **

**Anyways, enjoy! And please review for another update! :)**

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><p>Luckily Yugi had been the first one to wake up and without waking Yami. Unfortunately after taking his shower and dressing when he walked out into the room Yami sat sitting up in bed looking at Yugi intently. So that Yami didn't see any of his cuts Yugi had worn another coat, grey this time. They stared at each other for a few moments like trying to read each other expression before Yami was the first one to speak.<p>

"Where did you go off all day?" he questioned a little strictly.

"I was with someone else." Yugi admitted as he came more into the room.

"Really? Who?" Yami asked. His voice sounding like it was growing anger.

Yugi gave him an intense stare. "The phantom." he said. Knowing again that Yami wouldn't believe him.

"Again with this phantom? Why do you keep to this story?" Yami questioned as he stood up to stand in front of Yugi.

"It's not a story, the phantom is real and he understands me…" Yugi trailed.

Yami crossed his arms. "And are you saying that I don't?" he questioned sternly.

Yugi stared up at Yami for a long moment before turning away since he felt tears welling up in his eyes. "No… you don't… you don't even care about me…"

Yami uncrossed his arms to place a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Yes I do. I have always cared about you." he said in a much softer voice.

"No…" Yugi shrugged Yami's hand off of him. He hated how Yami was pretending like this, that he did know Yugi knew about him and Seth. If Yami cared about him then he wouldn't be seeing Seth behind his back. Yugi wouldn't feel so alone all the time even when he was with Yami. Yugi needed someone who loved him, who would never cheat on him, and who would actually hold him close at night instead of him having to hold a stupid pillow. As Yugi thought of those things only one person came to his mind. His phantom.

"Yugi, I love you." he proclaimed while spinning Yugi around to grab a hold of his hands and hold them tightly. When he saw that he was crying he seemed shocked. He took one hand away from holding Yugi's to wipe away some of his tears.

Yugi just stared at him. How could he say that? Yugi knew he didn't.

Yami then leaned down to press his lips to Yugi's. What was once warm and inviting was now cold and careless. Yugi felt nothing when Yami kissed him, he didn't even kiss back. Yami's lips felt cold to him, they didn't feel right on his lips. When Yami backed away after a moment he looked even more shocked. Yugi couldn't believe how far he was going with this pretending, why did he even want to keep Yugi around when he had Seth now?

"Please Yugi..." he said while wrapping his arms around his waist to pull him closer then leaning down to kiss him once more.

This time Yugi fought against him. He broke away from the kiss and walked out of the arms around him. "You don't love me! Stop pretending!" Yugi cried out painfully. He glanced to the mirror, besides seeing his own reflection he saw a pair of faint blue eyes. He really was always watching him.

"What do you mean? I could never pretend to love you." Yami told him.

Yugi gazed back at Yami with an extremely hurt expression. "You are right now! Your pretending to love me and to care about me when I know you really don't! You never did."

"How could you say this? What is going on with you, when we got here you were perfectly fine and now your acting so strange. Are you sick?" Yami questioned while taking a few steps closer to him again.

Yugi's breath hitched many times before he could continue. "I- I saw you… yesterday…" he trailed. He couldn't even contain the sadness that was bursting out of his chest from thinking of the scene once more.

Yami was silent. Seeming to want Yugi to continue before he said anything.

"I saw Seth kiss you! I saw you wrap your arms around him and kiss him back!" Yugi finally cried as his heart ripped in two.

"Yugi…" Yami trailed slowly. "Please let me explain…"

"How can you possibly explain th-that! You cheated on me! You never loved me did you? You just used me!" Yugi constantly questioned through his tears even though he already knew the answers.

"No, Yugi. Please believe me when I say that Seth means nothing to me… when I kissed him it was a mistake. I swear I love you and I'm so sorry that I betrayed you. I would never hurt you again if you just give me another chance." he approached Yugi to wrap his arms around his shivering body. "Please… let me make it right…"

Yugi gazed up at him. Not sure whether to believe his words or not. He seemed so sincere and honest, this was even the first time in weeks he had held him like this. Was Yami being honest? Did he really just make a mistake and did he really love him? "I don't know… Yami you really hurt me…"

Yami pulled Yugi over to the bed and gently let him down against it while hovering over him. "Let me show you I really love you, let me show you how much I care for you…" he murmured softly while moving to unzip Yugi's coat and push up his shirt. Yami leaned down to began kissing around his neck tenderly causing Yugi to moan softly.

_"Betray me… betray my love… beautiful soul why must you cut me so? Does my love mean nothing to you?"_

Hearing his voice sound so grave made Yugi glance towards the mirror to no longer see his blue eyes but a stain of blood run down the mirror. Yugi's eyes widened as he gasped out of horror.

"What is it Yugi?" Yami asked worriedly as he backed off of Yugi slightly.

Yugi stared at the mirror before shakily pointing over to it.

Yami gazed over to the mirror. "Oh my god…" he said before moving off of Yugi to approach the mirror.

Yugi also got up to stand next to Atem and gaze at the mirror, he did not dare reach out and touch it to see if it was real. What was going on? Whatever it was, it wasn't anything good.

_"How dare you! My love... how dare you make my heart bleed so!" _Yugi heard the phantom yell angrily. Yugi couldn't even tell where his voice was coming from, it sounded like it coming from everywhere in the room.

"Who is that?" Yami asked while gazing to Yugi.

"The phantom… he's angry…" Yugi trailed. Guilt starting to form in his heart from what he had just done. He had upset the phantom greatly.

Yami's eyes widened slightly. "He's real? You weren't making it up?"

Yugi shook his head. He then looked to Yami. "And he loves me. After we fought I ran to him and he kept me captive in his room within the walls. Behind the mirrors."

Yami wrapped an arm around Yugi's waist protectively. "He won't take you. I swear."

_"Fool! You believe you can take my love from me! Yugi ran from you and I consoled him! Where were you? Loving another?"_

Yami gazed around looking for any sight of the phantom. "I went looking for him! Had I known he had been held captive then I would have broken every mirror until I found him."

_"Break as many mirrors as you want. You would have never found him. My world is one you will never understand, that no one will ever understand!"_

Yami gazed down at Yugi who was staring at the blood again. "Yugi, where is he?"

Yugi didn't look away from the blood. "He's everywhere… this is his mansion." Yugi then looked to Yami. "He is in the walls…"

_"Yes, I am. I live inside these very walls. I hear and see everything. I can also see through your lies Yami. You deceive him! You deceive my naïve love, and for that I curse you!"_

"I don't know what he's talking about Yugi. If anyone he is trying to turn you against me. He held you captive! How could you ever trust someone like that?" Yami admitted. His eyes looking completely honest.

Yugi didn't know who to believe. Someone who had broken his heart but swore to fix it or someone who could relate so well to the pain he had felt. Someone who knew what it was like to truly be alone.

_"When was the last time he truly held you? When he truly meant that he loved you? I have seen more then you have seen Yugi, he has done more with Seth then he has led on."_

"What… what does he mean Yami?" Yugi questioned to Yami.

Yami instantly began looking around the room glaring. "You lie! Get out of this room, creature! Yugi doesn't love you!"

All of a sudden the mirror cracked, Yami and Yugi instantly looked to it to see the phantom in the mirror before them. His eyes blazed with a clear fire for the boy Yami had in his grasp.

"_My beautiful soul… In my dead heart all I have left is a want to love you. You are my last hope… my one and only love… you are my only hope to be free of my curse, you can break it with your love. With only your love…"_

Yugi gazed at the phantom. His words bringing tears to his eyes. Why did he have to be so split between two? Yami and the phantom both wanted to love him yet Yugi didn't know what to do.

"You are a monster and disserve to die with a curse! You live within these walls and mirrors because no one cares for you! What makes you think that Yugi ever would! He will never love you!" Yami shouted at the mirror. "So leave us alone! Leave Yugi alone!"

The phantom completely ignored Yami like he wasn't even there. He didn't break his gaze with Yugi once. He simply outstretched his hand as if Yugi could take it through the mirror. _"Come with me… love me…" _

Yugi almost outstretched his hand to the phantom's before Yami's arm around his waist all of a sudden disappeared so that he could walk over to the nightstand to grab the candelabra. He came back then instantly brought the candelabra to hit the mirror with a swift motion. The mirror cracking the rest of the way then breaking into millions of shards and falling to the ground. One would except to see the phantom behind the broken mirror but he was not there. All that was there was a wall. Yugi stared in shock from suddenly seeing the phantom gone. He was then turned to face towards Yami who instantly got down on one knee before Yugi.

"Please Yugi, I love you more than anyone or anything. Marry me." he said before bringing out of his pocket a small box. He opened it before Yugi to show a golden ring with a diamond attached.

Yugi stared in shock. "Y-Yami..."

Before anymore words could be said a loud roar of anger rushed through the air like a wind. Yugi flinched from the scare but Yami simply grabbed Yugi's hand.

"Please." he almost begged.

_"Yugi!"_

"Yugi…"

_"Love me!"_

"Love me…"

Yugi felt so split! What was he supposed to do? One part of him wanted to say yes to Yami and agree to marry him yet the other part wanted him to decline and find the phantom. He couldn't decide like this, when they were both pressing for him to answer them. He had no option to, he had to pick one of them even though he didn't want to. Yugi growled out of frustration. "Don't make me do this!" he cried. "Don't make me pick like this!"

Yami slowly let go of Yugi's hand but stayed kneeled before him.

Yugi's eyes welled with uncontrollable tears as he ran away from Yami and the phantom. He ran out of the room, down the hallway, and the staircase into the foyer. He then burst out of the double doors into the snow trekked ground. He ignored the cold as he ran down the steps then around the mansion through the rose bushes. He had no idea where he was running but he just had to get away from that. He felt pushed completely to his limits, if he had stayed any longer he might have passed out from emotional fatigue.

When Yugi spotted a gazebo he ran towards it. Yugi held himself against the snow that still fell, his feet were becoming numb but he ignored it. When he reached the gazebo he shivered constantly while moving to sit down at one of the benches to let out a heartbreaking cry. Why was he so forced to pick between the two? How did things even come to this? When he came here he didn't expect to be put in the middle of two different people. He had come here to learn more of the history of the mansion, well he had but not exactly the way he had wanted.

He knew he couldn't run from this forever but at that moment he knew he couldn't just decide. He had to think about things first. Outside was one of the best places because Yami was sure not to find him and the phantom couldn't leave the mansion. Yugi didn't know who he was supposed to pick. Yami, he had thought cheated on him with Seth, and he had seen it with his own eyes but Yami said it was a mistake. Should he really believe that? The phantom had said that he'd seen more, but should he really believe him? He really couldn't believe either since the two were both fighting each other for his affection. Yugi didn't want to have his affection fought for though. He didn't like it, the arguing and crying.

Now Yami was all of a sudden saying it was a mistake and was kneeling before him wanting to marry him. Yugi didn't find it too much of a surprise since they had been together for a year but at that moment it was completely out of the blue. Had Yami planned it or was it because of what the phantom was saying? Did he think he couldn't compete with the obvious passion that phantom held for him? Though Yugi felt like he still loved Yami and he had wanted to marry him, but after meeting the phantom he didn't know. Now he wasn't even sure of anything anymore. The phantom had changed the way he looked at things.

Yugi did love Yami but enough to marry him? After he'd seen him cheat on him? Yugi wasn't sure if now was the best time, he wanted to make sure that if he did that Yami was serious about him and that what he had done with Seth really was a mistake. The way Yugi had seen it, things did not look like a mistake. Yami looked like he was really enjoying it and then the phantom had said that he'd seen more? Though what did he mean by that? Did he mean that he'd seen them sleep together?

Yugi didn't know what to think about Yami anymore, then with the phantom. His love was clear, there were no tricks or any kind of shame, it was so obvious that he loved him with a deep passion that Yugi had never known possible. There was no way that Yami could ever love him the way the phantom did. Though the phantom was so emotionally diseased that speaking with him normally was so complicated. Then he'd even pushed him into a mirror for trying to remove his mask.

How could Yugi love someone who he had yet to see their face or even know their name? How could he love someone that was so different, that was so distressed? What else would the phantom do to him if he got on his bad side? Would he break his arm or cut him, or possibly kill him? He didn't understand that you never do that to someone you love, but the phantom didn't know that. He didn't know how to respond to anything Yugi did which made things so difficult, but would it be worth it to help him through it? In return what would he get? Would he be able to teach the phantom how to love someone and how to treat them for him to treat him that way?

Besides pity Yugi didn't even know why he wanted to help him so badly. Should he consider that he was in love? But how, how could he be in love with such a monster? With someone who has been completely shunned from society for their whole life? Someone who has never been shown true love… Someone in desperate need of love… Someone who craved to love him more than anyone he had ever met. Could Yugi really save him from his curse? How could he though? He barely even knew anything about it. He just knew that the phantom couldn't leave the mansion or he would die. How could that be possible though? Curse's weren't real. Were they?

The way Yugi had been almost forced to pick between them was so hard, he didn't know if he would be able to do it in the end. He almost didn't want to pick either of them so this could stop but he knew he couldn't. He knew he had to eventually make a choice within a day, for the party was tomorrow and after if he didn't choose the phantom he would be leaving even if he didn't pick either. This choice, love's cold choice, was going to be the hardest choice he would ever make in his life. This one choice could completely change his life forever. Yugi was still unsure if for the better or worse.


	7. Chapter 7, Unmasking The Monster

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><p>When Yugi entered the mansion again he had no idea what time it was or how long he had been out there, but he felt so much calmer after taking time to just get away from this place. Even though he was freezing cold he didn't go to find a desperate source of warmth, he wasn't either going back to his room. Instead he was going to discover more of the mansion like he had wanted to. He walked to the door underneath the large staircase to enter the second foyer. From there he gazed around, there was another staircase that led up to more rooms besides the ones on the floor he was on now. Yugi didn't know where he was going but he picked a door at random then walked to it. This door was on the other side of the staircase and had the design of fireworks on it.<p>

Yugi reached for it then opened the door. When he walked into the room the lights instantly went on, almost blinding him. He looked away for a moment to get his eyes to adjust to the light difference. When he looked back he couldn't believe his eyes, before him were possibly hundreds of boxes of fireworks. Each one was a different color, size and shape. Yugi had never seen this many fireworks before, not even on the fourth of July. Why would they need this many fireworks? This strangely seemed like way too much. Maybe they had other festival's here and used the fireworks then.

Deciding he didn't want to mess with anything he backed out of the room after shutting off the light then closing the door. Yugi turned and then picked another door that was a few away from the one he had just visited. This door had the comedy tragedy masks carved into the door. Yugi opened it and this time the room was already lit with a few candle lights. He walked into the room and was instantly blown away by how many different masks took residence in this room. There were masks so diverse and ones that were a simple white. There were even masks of animals and dragons.

All of these masks hung on the walls, some were in arms reach, others either you needed a ladder or would have to bend down to get. In the middle of the room was a mirror which Yugi approached. He looked at his refection before back to the masks. He wondered why they had so many masks, maybe it was for other guests who didn't have a costume for the masquerade, or if something happened to their mask they had plenty of other options. Yugi already had his costume for the masquerade so he didn't need a mask but at least he'd know where to go if something happened to his. Though right now he was sort of sick of masks. All they did was hide you face from everyone else…

Yugi heard the door all of a sudden slam behind him. He quickly turned from the mirror to run to the door, he tried desperately to open it but it was useless, somehow it was jammed.

_"All of these empty faces… how they remind me of my own…"_

"Let me out!" Yugi cried as he continued to try and open the door.

_"Love…"_

Yugi pulled as hard as he could before managing to open the door and escape. He made a quick decision and ran up the stairs to the double doors that were before the top of the stairs. He hastily went through them and shut them closed behind him. He then found himself in a completely dark room, if it weren't for the very tall windows on the back wall he wouldn't be able to see even his own two feet. Yugi could tell that this room was very boundless, though he couldn't tell much else due to how dark everything was.

All of a sudden a very luminous light came from the ceiling, seeing that it was a complex chandelier with hundreds of crystals hanging from it. Underneath the chandelier stood his phantom. He was everywhere, Yugi couldn't escape him.

_"This is the ballroom… I could almost say it's as beautiful as you._"

This time Yugi didn't try to escape. He slowly began walking towards the middle of the ballroom. Not taking his eyes away from the tall shadow as he walked towards him.

_"This is where you and I will be for the masquerade, I must say that I don't even need a costume…" _

When Yugi stood before him he gazed up into his blue eyes. Those eyes haunted him. "Can I know your name? You must have one." Yugi questioned.

He stared at Yugi for a long moment before he spoke. _"I have never been asked for my name… I don't even think I remember what it was…" _The phantom all of a sudden reached down to stroke Yugi's cheek softly with his black long fingers. _"Why must you be so beautiful…"_

"Why must you wear that mask? If you want me to love you, won't you let me see your true face?" Yugi asked in a soft tone of voice so not to upset him. In hopes that it might work.

The phantom stopped stroking his cheek to cringe. He then gripped Yugi's collar tightly to lift him off the ground and stare threateningly at him. _"You want to see the face of a monster! I have told you once that only the dead could see it and not be disgusted…"_

Yugi fought his fear as he gripped onto the hand that held his collar. "Please… I want to see you."

He stared at Yugi before all of a sudden dropping him back down onto the ground then turning away from him. _"You want to see me…" _

Yugi watched as he reached up, he guessed to grab his mask since Yugi couldn't see him. Yugi then saw as he brought his hand down to drop the mask onto the ground.

"You want to see me…" he muttered again.

"Yes." Yugi replied as he came to walk around the phantom to stand in front of him. He still couldn't see his face due to that he had his head hung low and the hood over some of his face while his hands covered the rest of his face. "Please…" Yugi begged. Yugi reached up very gently to place a hand on his elbow to get him to lower it.

After a very long moment he removed his hands from his face. He then pushed the hood back and rose his head to gaze at Yugi. "This is what you wanted to see?"

Yugi gazed at him in astonishment. Yugi had expected two things when thinking of the phantom's face. He had expected there to be nothing or something that was completely disfigured. With his mask off Yugi could tell his eyes glowed and stupefied him much more than before. He had chocolate brown hair that was styled in the same way as Seth's except it was shorter in the back. His skin was the same tone as Yugi's though he could see the evident pain that he'd been hiding from the world. There were three what looked like scratch marks right underneath his right eye, they trailed as far as his cheek. Then on his jaw up to his ear on the same side was a large burn mark, both of these showing that he had been burned and brutally scratched like someone had wanted to claw his eye out or completely burn his face.

Besides those minor flaws as Yugi saw them he was incredibly handsome. Yugi couldn't even find words to describe it, how could he think of himself as a monster? He was twice as attractive than anyone he had ever come to know, Yugi was captivated once again.

"Why do you insist on hiding your face? You are very handsome…" Yugi trailed a little embarrassingly while having admitted it out loud.

The phantom gazed at Yugi a long moment before he bent down to pick up his mask he then outstretched his hand to Yugi. "Wont you come with me?"

Yugi stared from his face to his hand. Not sure if he should do this but he found his hand hesitantly meeting with the phantom's so that he could grip his hand with a black gloved one. He then was instantly whisked away, finding himself almost running after the phantom who was leading him towards a wall in the ballroom. Yugi already had a feeling where he was leading him, so why had he taken his hand? He was just going to become a prisoner again, though why did he almost want to go with the phantom? Was he beginning to fall in love with him?

When they were standing in front of a wall the phantom placed his hand on it and gently let his fingers wander around it before stopping on something. He then pushed against the wall and it seemed as though a square of the wall receded and then a new passage was opened for them. One that was dark and beckoning them to the tomb. The phantom led Yugi through this passage and as soon as they were inside the small corridor the wall shut behind them. They walked quickly straight forward, able to see due to the dim candles that lit the passageway.

Yugi didn't know whether to be afraid of this or not, what if this time the phantom didn't let him leave? What if he kept him forever in that room? Yugi couldn't anticipate his actions because they were so unpredictable. One moment the phantom could be speaking of love and the next he could be holding him up by his collar and tossing him around like a worthless puppet. Was that really someone he wanted to love? Someone who didn't understand how to react to emotions of another? For some reason after seeing his true face Yugi felt more drawn to him, or in another sense more attracted to him. Still appearance wasn't everything and the phantom was so reckless when reacting, it was impossible to just try and ignore it.

Soon they reached a wooden door, the phantom managed to open it then Yugi found himself standing within the tomb once again with the door abruptly shutting behind him. Yugi watched as the phantom walked to the bed. He dropped his mask onto the ground before sitting at the edge of the bed and hunching over while covering his hands with his face. Yugi wasn't sure what emotion he was trying to go through this time but he unsurely approached him.

When Yugi was before him he gazed at his form before gently placing a hand on his knee. Hoping that it wouldn't upset him further then he looked to be.

The phantom all of a sudden brought his head up to look at Yugi. He reached over to grasp Yugi's cheeks within his hands then pull him closer to his face. "How are you so willing to come here with me after everything I have done? How do you still follow me? How can you look a monster in the face without cringing at the sight?"

Yugi stared intently at him before finally making up his mind after thinking so much of the phantom. Yugi moved his hands to place over the one's that held his cheeks. "You are not a monster and at first when you told me your story I pitied you. I felt guilty and wanted to help you because of it. I follow you because I want to, I don't feel forced or like a captive… for my phantom… I have discovered that I love you." Yugi told him surely while then very slowly letting his hands move to the phantom's face. His fingers gently skimming over the scratches and burn mark on his face. "I want to save you from your solitude, I want to save you from your curse… I want to love you."

The phantom gazed at him for the longest moment. Seeming to try and register and figure out what Yugi had just said to him.

When he didn't reply Yugi decided to help him discover what he meant. Yugi very slowly leaned as close as he could to his face so that their foreheads were almost touching. He looked into the phantom's eyes that were still clouded with confusion and uncertainty. Yugi knew that if he did this then he will have chosen what he wanted to do, he will have chosen the phantom. That was exactly what he wanted. Yugi closed his eyes while then pressing his lips to the phantoms. His lips were oddly very warm and Yugi found kissing him a sensation up his spine that tingled every little nerve. He wished he could have kept his lips connected with his longer but he had to see his reaction.

As Yugi backed slowly away and opened his eyes he saw that the emotions that had once been in his blue eyes had evaporated. What he now saw was a growing understanding, a love, a want, and a lust. Yugi then found himself engaged in another kiss but much more forceful then before and this time the phantom was in control. Their lips began moving together in a feverish rhythm as the phantom's hands slipped down from Yugi's cheeks to wrap around his waist to pull him as close as he could. In turn Yugi let his arms go around his neck and melt deeply into the kiss. Not once had he ever felt this way when kissing Yami. There had never been as much passion as there was now.

When the kiss was broken for breath the phantom pulled Yugi up onto the bed and moved him to where his back was over the pillows. The phantom hovered over Yugi before leaning down to kiss him again, this time much more lovingly like he was beginning to control his emotions. Yugi all but complied when he felt a tongue slide across his lower lip, he parted his lips eagerly to let an almost foreign tongue enter his mouth. Yugi hastily met with the foreign tongue and rubbed against it many times before feeling light headed. As they separated with panting breaths Yugi felt his heart thumping wildly in his chest and a growing tightness in his pants.

The phantom then sat Yugi up, he hastily removed Yugi's coat and shirt then laid him back down to begin kissing from his lips downwards.

Yugi in return moaned sweetly with the feel of such warm soft lips connecting with his own skin. As if each kiss sent a wave of electricity through his small body. When one of his nipples was reached and sucked on, Yugi arched his back in pure pleasure.

Suddenly the phantom backed away from Yugi to gaze at him.

Yugi rose an eyebrow In question. Had he already done something wrong?

"My name…" he began while lowering himself once again to be face to face with Yugi. "Is Seto Kaiba."

Yugi, after a moment smiled. "Seto… I like that name."


	8. Chapter 8, Learning The Truth

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><p>As Yugi slowly roused from his sleep he found himself in a bed different then he had spent the past few days in. He slowly sat up before rubbing his eyes then gazing around to realize where he was and remember the memories of last night. He couldn't help but smile slightly then gaze to the side of the bed to see that his phantom, Kaiba was not there. Which was strange because he remembered clearly them falling asleep after certain activities. He was now completely positive that he loved Kaiba, not just from last night but by how passionate he had been for him. Yugi had never experienced anything like it before. He knew that he still had to help him control his emotions but he knew things would be much easier.<p>

The only thing Yugi as worried about was how he was going to tell Yami. After all he had proposed to him yesterday and had just left him without an answer. He wasn't sure how he would react knowing that he had picked Kaiba over him, Yugi already knew he couldn't expect Yami to understand but he hoped he wouldn't go ballistic. Even if he did Yugi knew that Kaiba would be watching him, after all he always was even when Yugi didn't think he was. There were limits though, Kaiba had admitted that he gave Yugi his privacy in the bathroom or when he was changing out of respect.

Yugi could say that he had a guardian always watching over him, to make sure he was always safe. That was how he looked at it and finally tonight was the masquerade, what he had originally come here for and was honestly very much looking forward to it. He was really anxious to see all of the other guests in their masks and costumes. Yugi also was really looking forward to wearing his costume and showing up with Kaiba. He felt bad that now Yami wouldn't have anyone to go with but he could always ask Seth. After all he didn't have a date.

When hearing the door open Yugi glanced to it to see his handsome phantom walk in with a silver platter with a top over it. He was disappointed that he had put his mask back on but said that he had to wear it when he wasn't with Yugi. As he entered the room and closed the door behind him Yugi couldn't help but smile sweetly as he approached. He came to stand next to Yugi near the bed, he then placed the platter down on the nightstand before removing his mask then leaning close to Yugi so he could kiss him gently.

Yugi reached up as they kissed to run his hand over his cheek. When they broke after a moment he still didn't retreat his hand. "Morning Seto." he said cutely.

Kaiba kissed Yugi again before backing away from him. "Good morning my beautiful soul. I do hope you slept well." he said while moving to the coffee table to place down his mask.

"Yes! I did in fact." he stated happily while then glancing to the platter that had been brought in. "What's underneath the platter?"

He turned to smirk lightly at Yugi. "Find out for yourself."

Yugi instantly grew more curious as he picked up the platter to bring in his lap. He then opened it to see a bowl of oatmeal sprinkled with cinnamon. By the looks of it the oatmeal was apple. Yugi gazed up at Kaiba to smile. "Thank you." Yugi politely thanked as he picked up the spoon to begin eating.

The phantom moved to sit down on the edge of the bed. "Anything for my love." he stated while gazing down at his hands that weren't covered by his gloves.

Yugi also looked to his hands, quickly noticing the cuts on them. "What happened to your hands?" Yugi asked him worriedly. They looked like they were still bleeding, still fresh.

He closed his hands then gazed back at Yugi. "Nothing. Just an accident with some roses. They get me every time." he admitted.

Yugi cocked his head to the side in question. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean roses do not like my presence. They are always cutting me with their thorns." Kaiba told him.

Yugi still didn't quite understand what he meant but just left it at that. There were still a lot of things he had yet to understand about Kaiba. After a few silent minutes Yugi gazed into his almost finished oatmeal to stir it mindlessly. He couldn't stop thinking about how Yami will react when hearing the news. He was scared he might do something drastic. "Seto…?" Yugi trailed.

"Yes?"

"I… I'm nervous about telling Yami… what if he does something… or tries to take me from you… what am I supposed to do then?" Yugi asked him. His eyes growing large with worry.

"Do not worry. He will never be able to take you from me. For if he does he cannot hide. I will find you no matter what, at any cost." Kaiba told him strongly.

Yugi looked up to still have a worried look. "But what if you can't? What if he goes out of the mansion…? Have I… broken your curse yet?"

Kaiba looked down to his lap. "I do not know… the only way I can find out if I am free of the curse is to leave the mansion."

"How is the curse exactly broken, do you know?" Yugi questioned him. Not being very hungry anymore he placed the platter back onto the nightstand.

"This curse is broken when my heart is free and alive with love." Kaiba explained.

"Well it is, isn't it? You love me and I love you. We even expressed the true form of it last night in this very bed. Your heart must be free." Yugi admitted while crawling up out of the sheets to sit down next to the phantom and place a hand on his shoulder gently. Not forgetting he could be emotionally unstable, he still had to be careful around him but Yugi felt more comfortable now that they were closer then they had been before.

"Yes, I know." he said. "But I cannot look inside myself and see my heart! I cannot tell if I am still a stone cold monster!" he suddenly began yelling. Pushing Yugi away from him to let his head fall into his hands.

Yugi had to take a moment to recollect himself after being pushed away but he came right back. "Your not a monster… please stop saying that… you were never a monster." Yugi admitted as he very slowly and softly moved behind him to wrap his arms around him and place his chin on his shoulder. "Even if you were I would still love you. I love you for who you are, not what is on the outside but what's on the inside." he explained while holding him tightly.

Kaiba brought his head up slightly. "You cannot love a heart of stone… it would be fairly one sided, even you, such a beautiful soul could not manage to love someone who couldn't love you back even how hard they tried. I love you so dearly, but I do not know if I'm feeling it truly…"

Yugi frowned. This was something he couldn't help with, it was something that Kaiba had to figure out within himself. The only thing he could do was continue to show he loved him and support him. "I know you feel it, you just don't know it yet." Yugi admitted calmly.

Kaiba raised his head completely away from his hands to turn his head and look at Yugi. He then abruptly stood, if Yugi hadn't of let go he would have gone up with him. "Yugi, there is something you need to know." he stated all of a sudden. No one could mistake the seriousness in his voice.

Yugi gave him his full attention.

For a moment he stalled. Like debating telling him what it was until he came to stand in between Yugi's legs then in a slow monition bring his hands out to show Yugi the many cuts he had on the palms of his hands. "The words written on the ceiling in the foyer, you know what it says?"

Yugi took Kaiba's wrists so in a sense he was holding his hands then nodded.

"A beautiful soul, will blaze my heart a fire. Once I who run free will now die within the rose of red." he recited before continuing. "Do you know what it means?"

"Well, I kind of understand the first part… but not the last part." Yugi confessed.

"It means that I cannot hold a red rose without it cutting me. I wore gloves to shield my hands but I wanted to know… I wanted to see if you could save me from them." he explained before leaning in to kiss Yugi.

They did not break for a few more moments but when they did and looked down at Kaiba's hands the cuts were gone.

Kaiba brought his hands up to gaze at them before using them to hold Yugi's cheeks. They just stared at each other before his expression changed to anger and he forcefully kissed Yugi, all of the anger vented into the kiss. When it became too much Yugi managed to break away and breathe heavily while gazing at him with concern.

"What is it?" Yugi asked through his pants for breath.

He stared at Yugi a little bit longer before shoving him down on the bed and walking away from him. "I know he still loves you!" he roared angrily.

Yugi sat up on his elbows and watched him.

Kaiba faced Yugi with blazing eyes. "He does not disserve to love you! No one does except for me!" he suddenly approached Yugi again to grab him by the upper arm and pull him off the bed to be held tightly. "You're my property!" he growled while holding him tighter and shaking him slightly. "How dare he think he could ever keep you from me!"

Yugi's eyes widened as the grip over him squeezed his arm so tightly that he cried out. "Stop it! Your hurting me! Please!" he begged.

Kaiba's face instantly lost all anger as he let go of Yugi's upper arm that had the imprint of his hand wrapped around it. He gained a very blank look before stumbling backwards away from him.

Yugi looked to his arm then to Kaiba with hurt eyes.

"Yugi…" he muttered while managing to back up onto the wall like afraid of something. "I don't ever intend to hurt you… understand that I can't control them… my emotions… sometimes they get the best of me… and I hurt you…"

"I know." Yugi replied while down casting to the floor.

"I don't know how I will ever be able to control them… I barely remember the last time I had spoken to someone before you came… years possibly… then you came… and say you want to help me… and love me… I didn't understand… I didn't understand how someone as beautiful as you could want to help me… or love me... when…" he stalled for a long moment. In that time Yugi gazed up at him. "When… you are so perfect… you know how to react to me and treat me as if I was normal… you are always so kind to me even when I hurt you… like you understand… I don't think I even disserve someone like that… someone who could understand a monster."

Kaiba dropped his gaze to the floor as he slowly sunk down to it. "If you want to be with him… I will understand. I know that you had loved him… I would not want to take you from a love you already have…"

Yugi slowly approached him then sat down on his knees in front of him. "I do not love him anymore. I love you, and I do have trouble understanding your emotions but I know we can work on It. In time you will remember what it's like to be around someone all the time. I will always be there for you as you have for me. So please stop referring to yourself as a monster when you aren't one. A monster would be someone who has never tried to love in their life, and you have. You love me, I know you do and soon you'll be able to feel that love." Yugi reached down to take Kaiba's hand in his and hold it tightly. "When this party is over tonight I'll be able to be with you forever. We could… we could move somewhere else and start a new life. Just you and me."

Yugi smiled at the thought of just the two of them living together. "I know I would like that very much."

"As would I." Kaiba looked to Yugi with cold eyes. "But if I cannot leave, if I try to leave I will die."

"You won't. I'll be right next to you the whole time. Nothing will happen except you'll be free and I'll be free." Yugi stated confidently.

Kaiba stared at him before standing, bringing Yugi up with him. "I do not understand how you do it." he mentioned while holding Yugi's half naked body close to him.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"How you know exactly what to say to me." he replied while Yugi giggled. "Now, get dressed. It's time to tell Yami." Kaiba said while moving over to the door.

Yugi nodded while going to his clothes. He quickly dressed in his pants, shirt, shoes, and coat before meeting Kaiba at the door which was opened for him.

"I will be watching, not through the mirror but the walls. I will be protecting you from anything he tries to attempt to do. I swear this to you my love." Kaiba told him while kissing his cheek briefly.

Yugi smiled then turned away from him and quickly began walking down the long walkway towards the mirror room. With each step he took be became more and more nervous but the thought that Kaiba would be watching everything made things easier. That way if Yami tried to do something Kaiba would stop him before he could. For some reason while he almost ran down this long pathway he found it much shorter than the last time he had ran down it.

As he approached the mirror he looked around for the switch that made it pivot, when finding it he pushed it then quickly stepped past the mirror into the room. He remembered that Kaiba had told him each mirror could turn if he found the right switch for it, that was how he could appear and disappear in a room so quickly. Yugi loved when he did that, it seemed so magical and mysterious. When he was with Kaiba he always felt like he still had a strong mysterious vibe about him, something that told him that he would never know all of the secrets he had.

Yugi then gazed around the mirror room he was in. He had been right about the mirror being fixed after the last time he saw it in shards on the floor, who knows how it was replaced so fast but Yugi did not question his phantom. There were things he could do that seemed almost impossible but Yugi made no move to ask him about it, though he did often wonder how he was able to do the things he did.

When Yugi spotted pair of blue eyes staring at him he smiled. "Before I go tell him… can you tell me something?" Yugi questioned the mirror. Which to anyone else he surely would have looked mad.

_"I will tell you anything you want to know."_

"I've been wondering this for awhile… but what does amour mean?"

_"Amour? It means love."_

"So… all those times before you were saying love…" Yugi approached the mirror and place his hands small hands on it. Then frowning remembering when he'd seen the blood run down the mirror the day before. How he wished he could rid himself of that memory.

_"What is it? Why are you frowning?" _

"Yesterday… when there was blood on the mirror… and when it cracked… I felt so guilty… I had hurt you so bad…" Yugi felt tears well in his eyes. "I'm sorry…"

_"You did, I felt betrayed. Do not cry though, you are mine now and that is how it will stay."_

Yugi removed his hands from the mirror to wipe his eyes. He then nodded before turning and hastily leaving the room. He walked quickly down the hallway, nerves still festering inside of him. How was Yami going to react to this? Surely not very well.

When he reached the room he took a deep breath then slowly opened the door. Instantly he saw Yami sitting on the bed, staring at his lap. His shoulder's were slouched like he was in a forlorn state of mind. He didn't appear to have even heard the door open.

"Yami?" Yugi called softly.

Yami shot his head up then got off the bed to take Yugi into a hug. "Yugi! I've been so worried about you… I thought that creature had found you and hurt you."

Yugi sighed. This was definitely going to be very hard to explain. "Yami…"

"Your not hurt are you?" he questioned while bringing Yugi out of the hug to gaze over him worriedly.

"No. I'm fine, but we need to talk about something…" Yugi trailed as he broke from the grasp on him.

Yami rose an eyebrow. "What is it?"

Yugi stared at him for a long moment. Not sure how to begin. He didn't want to hurt Yami but he needed to tell him that it was over and he was going to be with the phantom. "It's about… about what happened yesterday… when I had to pick between you and the phantom." Yugi began. "I went outside to think a lot about what I should do…" he decided against adding the part about how he'd found Kaiba in the ballroom and they went back to his chamber for the rest of the night. "And I decided."

Yami suddenly smiled. "You did? I'm glad, now we can finally rid ourselves of this phantom and go back to how we were." he stated gladly as took Yugi's hands in his.

This was going to be a whole lot harder… Yugi took his hands out of Yami's grip who looked hurt by the action. "Yami… I… I didn't pick you." he confessed with a heavy heart.

Yami stared at him for a very long awkward moment. He then unexpectedly laughed. "Don't mess with me like that Aibou!"

Yugi frowned. "I'm not… I really did pick him." he said again. Was Yami about to go into some kind of denial? Is that why he had said that and laughed?

He grew silent once again. Unaware to the two boys but a faint laugh was heard inside the walls of the room.

"You… picked him? A phantom? Someone who kidnapped you! Yugi, did he brainwash you? Put you under some kind of spell? Is he blackmailing you?" he began shouting worriedly.

"No!" he cried in great offence. "He is not doing any of those things! Yami, I love him. I'm sorry but it's just not working out between us anymore."

"Your picking a creature over me? Someone you haven't even known a week?" Yami sounded as though he was getting angry. Very angry.

"He's not a creature and yes! He cares about me and loves me!" Yugi told him.

"How do you know that? How do you know he won't just dump you aside?" Yami asked seriously as he crossed his arms over his chest. A scowl forming on his lips.

"Because he's not like that! He would never just dump me aside! How could you say that!" Yugi almost shouted.

Yami suddenly grabbed Yugi's wrist harshly. "He must to have brainwashed you." he pulled Yugi close to him and forced him into a kiss.

Yugi fought him as hard as he could until breaking away. "Stop it! He didn't! Yami I'm sorry but I just can't marry you…"

"What kind of sick hold does he have on you? Why do you keep speaking like this? What happened to the Yugi I knew?" Yami questioned. He grabbed Yugi once again but much softer and by the shoulders.

"He hasn't changed. I'm still the same Yugi I just… love someone else…" Yugi admitted. Hoping that Yami would eventually understand.

"You clearly aren't! The Yugi I knew loved me!" he shouted before shaking the small boy slightly. "What has he done to you?"

Yugi's eyes welled. "Nothing! Why do you think I'm not me! You're the one who has changed, Yami. When I first met you I could tell you loved me! You were so sweet and kind but just a few months prior to this you wouldn't even let me cuddle with you, what changed? Why did you just suddenly stop doing the things I loved so much? I could tell we were drifting apart but I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want it to end. I wouldn't know what to do or where to go if I didn't have you, but now… now I have the phantom. He's more than you ever were!"

Yami stared at him in disbelief. Yugi had never spoken to him like that and it was a shock. As the things said began to sink in, tears streaked down his face. "Fine Yugi! You want to be with him! I don't care! I don't care about you! And guess what! He was right, I had done more with Seth and that kiss wasn't a mistake!" he yelled out of spite before viciously pushing past Yugi in an emotional rampage and left the room.

Leaving Yugi in tears. He ran to the bed and fell onto it while letting out a sorrowful muffled sob into the sheets. How could Yami have been so mean? Not once had he ever acted like that and just because Yugi had fallen in love with someone else. He also should have believed the phantom about Yami cheating. He knew that kiss hadn't been a mistake but again he didn't want to admit it. Now at least he was free of Yami. He just hoped that this would blow over someday and they could at least be friends. That was hard to see after the fight they just had but Yugi hated losing people close to him and he didn't want to lose Yami over a stupid fight about something like this.

"My love… don't cry." Kaiba said as he seated himself down next to Yugi on the bed.

Yugi pulled himself out of the sheets that were stained with his tears. He gazed at Kaiba who had a sort of curious yet blank look, he probably didn't know how to comfort him what so ever. Yugi then moved to bury his face into Kaiba's lap and cry. He knew that this would have ended badly but what Yami said really hurt. How could he say that he didn't care about him?

He didn't know it but Kaiba was watching him cry in his lap. A sad frown upon his lips, he wished that he could somehow find it in himself to cry with Yugi. So at this moment, he wasn't alone.


	9. Chapter 9, The Masquerade of Fire

_**So close! The story is almost done, just one more chapter after this that will clear everything up. Big thanks to the reviewers, I really am trying to make sure sentances dont run on forever, sometimes I just can't tell myself. Anyways...**_

_**Enjoy and pretty please review! :)**_

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><p>Yugi stood in front of a large full body mirror, something that was common in this place. He was adjusting the white formal shirt with gold buttons he wore. Over his shirt was a long sleeved white coat with silver threaded into it. His pants were a very light grey since he couldn't ever wear white pants, he always spilled things on them then his white boots that he'd tucked most of the legs on his pants into. Around his neck was a silver choker with a keyhole on it, luckily he didn't have to worry about keeping track of a key to get it off.<p>

In just a few hours he would be heading down to the ballroom for the masquerade, he was really looking forward to all of the costumes, but he hoped that he avoided seeing either Seth or Yami. Since the fight he had with Yami he'd moved out of the room and moved into Kaiba's. Because he had no mirror in his room, Yugi had to go to the room of mirrors to get ready, which was very helpful because he could look at himself at every angle to make sure his costume was perfect. After all he had the phantom to compete with who had grown up living a masquerade.

He had told Yugi that he would change masks for the occasion, so he was very much looking forward to what he was going to look like. Though no matter what, he was sure to look better than him. When he was done adjusting his shirt he bent down to pick up his mask gently in his hands, after all he couldn't show up without this. At a masquerade everything was about the mask, your costume could look absolutely horrible but if you had an attractive mask everyone would applaud you.

Yugi's was silver, it covered only his eyes since he didn't like full face masks. On the left side there were three large white feathers and silver beads around the edge, they seemed to keep the feathers in place. Around the edges of the mask was embroidered with white trimming, and in the inner eye sockets were fake small diamonds. He really liked it, and remembered it had caught his eye very quickly when he had been out looking for one. What he was looking forward to more than putting it on was letting Kaiba see it, since he had yet to.

They were not going to show up at the party together since he could be recognized by Yami, he'd said he didn't want anyone to know who he was. Yugi could tell that he was actually nervous about going out into a crowd of people. That was of no surprise since he hadn't his whole life. Though Kaiba was sure to keep his distance from everyone else which was going to be nice. When he had been with Yami he liked to flutter between groups of all different people Yugi didn't know. He remembered how uncomfortable he felt standing next to him as he spoke to all sorts of different people.

Yugi looked over the mask before slipping it onto his face. When it was on he gazed at himself through the mirror, he almost didn't recognize himself. Amazing how a mask could make you look like a totally different person. Though with his hair it was impossible to mistake him for someone else.

_"Beautiful…"_

Yugi jumped when suddenly hearing a soft whisper in the room. He then looked around at all the mirrors for blue but couldn't seem to find his eyes. "Seto? Where are you?"

He chuckled darkly. _"Everywhere." _

"Please show yourself… I want to see you!" Yugi admitted while moving to the center of the room to gaze at each mirror.

_"A masquerade is about not knowing who is who, it is about the mystery of the people you meet. I will not be showing myself until you arrive. Another true test of love awaits you."_

"What do you mean by that?" Yugi questioned. Kaiba knew that he loved him.

_"Only if you truly love me you, will be able to find me within an array of other masks." _

"So your saying your not going to show yourself to me, but I have to guess who you are out of possibly hundreds of other people?" Yugi asked. Just to make sure that was what he meant.

_"Yes, love. You will have to find me."_

Yugi frowned. "But what if I don't find you… I'll have to look at everyone to be able to start guessing." he remarked.

_"True, but as I said before if you love me you should be able to find me very easily."_

"I do love you though! Why do you question it?" Yugi asked. Almost feeling hurt by the distrust.

_"I do not question it, I know you love me. All I ask is that you find me, is that so hard?"_

"No."

_"Goodbye love, until tonight." _he said as his voice faded away.

"Until tonight…" he murmured to himself. He then walked to the mirror again, looking over himself until he was sure he was as perfect he could be. He then looked to the edges of the mirror until he found a small little slit in it. One you could only find unless you were seriously looking for it. Yugi pressed it and he was able to bypass the mirror with ease. On the other side in the pathway to his phantom's room Yugi now walked. He took his time unlike all of the other times where he had been practically running.

The reason he was walking down this pathway, was because he had realized while he walking that he forgot the white rose clip he'd wanted to wear on his coat. Kaiba had also wanted him to wear it. When Yugi entered the room he was surprised to see things look so messy. Almost every book was open and were at pages with red ink written in them. Yugi walked to the nightstand to see in the drawer his white rose sitting on top of the book _Couleur des coeurs. _Yugi picked up the rose to clip onto his coat. He then got curious and picked up the book.

Yugi flipped it open and was surprised to see that the map he had once seen with all of the french scribbles, circles, and arrows was now gone. Had Kaiba taken it out? But why? What did it even mean? Was there something he was planning behind his back?

He just brushed it off while placing the book back into the drawer then closing it. Yugi then moved to sit down on the bed and lay back. He placed his hands behind his head and relaxed. Something he hadn't done since he'd come here.

xXxXx

As soon as Yugi entered the ballroom he was seeing many masks, all had their own style, color, shape, and design. The chandelier was what lit the whole ballroom but there were also some candles on the walls that helped. There were only tables near the walls so that the middle of the ballroom was used for dancing to the soft music that played. Each table was covered in a white sheet and had a candle on it probably just for looks. There were waiters with trays walking around with tiny assortments of food, and Yugi could see outside the tall windows fireworks going off. If the roar of people talking wasn't in his ear's then he would be able to hear them boom and crackles as they exploded.

Yugi began gazing around looking for Kaiba. He knew he wouldn't be in the middle, so maybe he was at a table. Yugi began walking through all of the tables, glancing to each one he passed in hopes of seeing his phantom. After walking around the ballroom about three times and not spotting him, he decided to take a seat at an empty table. Letting his feet rest before he went to search some more. Where could he be? Was it really this hard to find one person? Yugi wished that he would just come up to him so that things wouldn't have to be so difficult. He'd never been good at find it games, so finding someone else was impossible.

Yugi didn't even understand why Kaiba wanted him to find him. Yugi would have rather shown up with him, but then he remembered a phantom had to make his own entrance. He didn't know how he was going to do it but he always had a way.

"Yugi…?"

The boy looked up hearing his name called. When he saw Yami before him he was shocked. He had no idea what he wanted so he said nothing, just looked at him.

He sighed before seating himself in front of Yugi. "I'm sorry… about the things I said to you… I didn't mean them… I do really care about you… I was just so angry…"

"Yami… you did really hurt my feelings." Yugi admitted while gazing down at the table cloth. Not wanting to keep eye contact with him.

"Yes, I know and I'm truly sorry." Yami confessed.

Yugi looked back up at him. Not sure whether to believe him or not. He did look honest.

Yami then stood up and offered his hand to Yugi. "How about a dance?" he asked with a slight smile.

Yugi was unsure but Yami took his hand and forced him up. Then took him to the middle of the ballroom. Yami held his waist as Yugi very gently put his arms around Yami's neck, but nothing compromising. They swayed very slightly to the music, it was nothing wild but well enough for them to keep a rhythm to. Yami was dressed in a black suit with a mask that covered his eyes much like Yugi's, except it was black and there were no feathers. His costume was simple but it looked good. Yugi also noticed something near his waist but he didn't question it, it almost looked like a sword case, but it was probably just a part of his costume.

"So where is your phantom? I would have thought he would have come with you." Yami asked. His voice sounded a little harsh.

"He's here…" Yugi trailed. He just didn't know where yet.

"Hmm… I don't see him… maybe he has left you." Yami remarked while spinning them slowly. "Perhaps he got too scared, after all a phantom is a creature of the shadows. There are no shadows here for him to crawl around in."

Yugi frowned at him. "Stop it, he's not some kind of creature. He's a person."

"I just don't understand… what is it about him you love?" Yami questioned while very unnoticeably, moving Yugi closer to him.

"Everything. I love everything about him. He's mysterious, passionate, mystifying, and intelligent. I've never met anyone like that." Suddenly finding it awkward talking about this with him he changed the subject. "I really hope we can still be friends. I hate losing friends over such stupid things… I really don't want to fight with you Yami." Yugi admitted honestly.

Yami looked at him for a long moment before smiling kindly and bringing Yugi closer to him again. "Of course… we can always be friends, but…" He moved his face closer to Yugi's. "I still love you, and wish that you would marry me… I still leave my offer." Yami told him sweetly while gently kissing him.

Yugi quickly backed away from the kiss but stayed with his arms around his neck. "Yami…" he trailed. Not wanting him to kiss him anymore.

"I just want you to know that I still love you despite the fact you love someone else… and I wish that you would stay with me and not _him_." Yami said as he moved his hands lower. Just above Yugi's butt.

Yugi felt uncomfortable with this and tried to pull away but Yami's grip on him was stronger. He removed his arms from around his neck to try and push him away but to no avail. "Let me go!" he cried.

Yami's grip on him only hardened. "I don't understand what I did to make this happen… why won't you give me another chance?"

"Yami! Please understand that I don't love you anymore!" Yugi told him while continuingly trying to get free.

"Yugi…" he trailed while leaning forward to kiss him once again.

"You insolent fool! Don't you listen?"

Yugi turned his head to look at Kaiba who now stood behind them. He had on a white mask but it didn't cover his entire face, just his cheeks, forehead, and around his eyes. The mask had a strange texture to it like it was supposed to be a mask of a face of a skeleton. He had on a long black cape along with a blood red suit with an even darker red tie. Near his waist was also a sword case that looked slimmer than the one that Yami had. Yugi tried harder to break free to get to Kaiba, but Yami suddenly moved Yugi to stand behind him protectively.

Yami instantly drew the very real sword from its case to point at the phantom. "I don't like how you've taken Yugi from me. I hope you know your not going to get away with it."

Kaiba chuckled darkly. "Do you think your saving Yugi? Do you think killing me would make him love you?"

Yami glared while shoving the sword closer to the phantom, unaware they had a crowd of people now watching them. "Your actions disserve justice. You held him captive!"

Kaiba didn't even appear to care that a sword was being pointed at him. "I did no such thing. He was free to leave whenever. Yugi chose to stay with me."

"You lie!" he roared before taking a swing at his arm before the phantom moved backwards to avoid it.

"Yami! Stop it!" Yugi cried.

Yami completely ignored him while swinging at him again. Only to miss.

"A duel, you wish to partake in? For Yugi?" he questioned as he slowly drew the sword that he had around his waist also. His sword was much slimmer then Yami's but looked more deadly.

"Please don't do this!" Yugi exclaimed. He couldn't stand it if something happened to Kaiba. He didn't think he was worth fighting over.

Yami smirked at him before drawing his sword closer to him. "Perhaps. The winner will have the true right to be with Yugi."

Kaiba also drew his sword up closer to him. "I agree. A duel to the death."

Yugi's eyes widened. "No! Don't!" he shouted at them. Wishing they would listen to him.

They both simultaneously brought their swords together to make a loud clash of metal. Both not taking their eyes off of the other.

"When was the last time you picked up a sword, Yami? I already see many mistakes in your stance. Shall I teach you?" The phantom offered while suddenly knocking the sword away from being pointed at him to swipe at Yami's leg which managed to cut him.

Yami slightly stumbled before growled out of the slight pain and the fact the phantom had taken the first shot at him. Out of clear anger, he viciously swung his sword down on Kaiba just for it to be blocked. He tried again but it was blocked.

Kaiba laughed evilly. "You don't know how to handle a sword, do you? How foolish." When Yami swung his sword at him near the chest once more Kaiba blocked it. He then ran at Yami, managing to take him by surprise, and as he ran by cut his side with the sword. Now on the other side of Yami, Kaiba grabbed Yugi's hand and ran towards the entrance of the ballroom. Through the large circle of people that had been watching. While he ran he swung his sword at anyone who got in his way, surely now they would not follow.

"Seto!" Yugi cried. He looked back seeing Yami chasing after them. He then looked forward. "Why are you doing this? You know I love you and would chose you over him!"

"He needs to learn a lesson or two in swordsmanship." he admitted while pushing past a group of people. "I will kill him for kissing you!" he yelled angrily.

"No! Please don't kill him! He just loves me…" Yugi trailed. He didn't want anyone dying, and especially for him. He didn't see how he was so worth it. "I don't understand why your willing to die just to be with me… I'm not worth death!" Yugi shouted at him.

"My love, you are worth everything to me. Without you I am dead. Yami must be put in his place, he's an arrogant man for thinking he could force you to love him as he was, and for loving not just you but my brother too. I will show him that you are mine." Kaiba stated as they reached the large doors. He pulled them open before Yugi could question him about what he said and ran through them. He swiftly hurried down the stairs before reaching the middle of the large second foyer. They stopped and Kaiba turned Yugi towards him. "If anything does happen to me, I want you to know that I will love you forever." he then leaned down to kiss him passionately.

Yugi wrapped his arms around him to hold closer. Not ever wanting to let go. He could feel tears starting to work their way to his eyes.

"Soon I will put you where you belong! In a grave!" Yami yelled as he descended down the stairs with his sword ready to swing.

Kaiba broke Yugi quickly away from him. He pushed him to the side before blocking the swing Yami took to his shoulder. Kaiba pushed the sword away from him, taking his own swing towards Yami's arm which missed by an inch.

"Losing your touch, are we?" Yami asked mockingly while the phantom was on the rebound, slicing a long cut on his arm.

Yugi watched with horror as Kaiba's arm began bleeding. He was tempted to cover his eyes from the sight but knew he couldn't. He neither could stop them from doing this. They were going to fight until the other was dead or extremely close. Which scared him.

Kaiba barely took note of his cut before with great force hitting his sword against Yami's. This turned into a constant fight for the next hit on the other, their swords moved so quickly that it was hard to determine where they would be going next. The sound of metal slapping each other filled the foyer and the growls of anger that came from both of the sword wielders. With each swing that missed or connected with the others causing both of them to become more enraged and determined to hit the other. They moved so quickly that it was impossible to see who had the upper advantage if there was one.

Yugi watched with fear. Why did they have to fight? He couldn't even talk them out of it, they wouldn't listen to him.

"Yugi doesn't love you." Yami growled while their swords were pushed together in an effort to over throw the other. "He only pity's you."

"And you think he loves you? Do you really think he would ever marry you?" he questioned while pushing strongly against him.

"Before you, Yugi loved me! I promised him that I wouldn't let a phantom take him away and I plan to keep my promise!" Yami shouted as he managed to disarm the phantom them cut the other side of his arm. Before he could get to the sword Yami kicked it away, then swung at the phantom again who moved out of the way just in time.

The sword was slid right at Yugi's feet. He quickly picked it up. "Seto!" Yugi call out.

Like knowing without looking that Yugi had his sword, Kaiba ducked after Yami took a swing at him. He then shoved him back to make him more paralyzed, quickly running to Yugi to take his sword from him. He turned to see Yami coming after him, ready to run him through. To get Yugi out of harm, he pushed him away while sidestepping just to miss Yami's thrust, instead his sword ran through a vase. As it broke unintentionally, the tip of his sword knocked over a candelabra.

Yugi had landed on the floor from being shoved but if he hadn't he surely would have been dead.

"You can barely hit me." Kaiba remarked.

Yami turned to glare menacingly at him. "Check your arm. I would say that's made it up."

Kaiba laughed mockingly. "Barely."

"We'll see about that!" Yami suddenly ran at Kaiba. They began the mad swing of swords again. Seeming almost never ending before Kaiba managed to elbow Yami in the face, then cut him on the shoulder.

Kaiba hadn't been expecting Yami to recollect himself so quickly, the next thing he knew was being disarmed again then be punched in the face. Causing him to fall to the ground. His mask had fallen off and was laying farther away from him as Yami stood above him smirking.

"Your death will be quick." he said while bringing the sword up ready to end his life by running his sword through his heart.

Yugi instantly ran to Yami. "No!" he cried. His large eyes filled with nothing but sorrow and pain. He grabbed Yami's elbow to keep him from stabbing Kaiba. "Please don't do this! Please!" he begged desperately.

Yami broke Yugi's drip over him. "I won this duel. So the phantom will be no more!" he yelled.

Kaiba all of a sudden began laughing.

Yami glared at him. "How can you laugh when you are about to die?" he growled.

"Fool! I have been dead for many years. I only recently felt alive when I was with Yugi…" he suddenly unbuttoned his suit to reach into it. "If I cannot be with Yugi… then… _death to the house._"

After his words were said the foyer began to shake, all of a sudden a loud explosion and screaming was heard. Just as soon the room that held within it all of the fireworks blew up, causing such an impact that both Yami and Yugi were blown to the ground. Yugi quickly gazed up to see that what had once been the room to the fireworks was now blown up and fire was spreading over the walls, engulfing anything and everything in its wake.

"What have you done!" Yami yelled as he stood up. "Your insane!"

Kaiba merely laughed again.

Yami quickly pulled Yugi up then began running out of the foyer.

Yugi tried desperately to break away from him to run to Kaiba who still laid on the floor like embracing death. "Let me go! Let me go!" Yugi screamed. He had to help Kaiba he couldn't let him die.

"No Yugi! You'll die! Just leave him, he's mad." Yami said while pulling Yugi along who was giving up great resistance.

The fire was so bright and large now that he could feel the flames heat as he was forced to run from it. "Seto! Please get up! Please!" Yugi cried as loud as he could, over the crackle of large flames and the crumbling of support beams and walls.

Kaiba merely turned his head to look at Yugi. "Don't forget that I will always love you…"

Yugi felt millions of salty tears fill his eyes. "No! I can't leave you!" Yugi managed to break from Yami to begin running back towards Kaiba. "I won't leave you!" Before he could get very far his wrist was grabbed again by Yami and was forced the other way. He gazed back forward to tug on his wrist. "Yami let me go!"

"No, Yugi. I'm not going to let you die." he told him.

Suddenly a loud crash was heard. Yugi gazed back and his heart ripped into millions of pieces seeing that where the phantom had been was now covered in a large portion of the ceiling that had fallen. Yugi felt his body wither under the extreme sadness. He was gone. Not seeing any reason to stay behind he stopped resisting and let Yami take him through the door into the main foyer. They quickly exited the mansion by the doors that were already held open and were having many other people exiting the mansion.

When they were outside and far enough away from the mansion they stopped to gaze at it. The fire almost had already consumed the whole mansion, black smoke filled the nighttime air and Yugi could hear the approaching sirens of the fire trucks. A very light snow had been falling from the sky as they stood in the cold watching the mansion burn. Yugi had fallen onto his knees by then and sobbed into his hands. How could he have just given his life like that? Why? Yami wouldn't have killed him.

He could have gotten up, he could have saved himself, but why? Why did he chose to kill himself instead? Was it because of the curse, or was it something else? Yugi didn't understand, did he think that he wouldn't love him anymore if he lost the duel against Yami? Yugi did realize something though, something he should have realized sooner. That his arrangement to flames was an explosion, he must have planned the whole thing. If only he had figured out that sooner. He then would have never gone to the masquerade. He would have left with Kaiba right then and there. If only he had known.

Yugi knew that he would never forget his phantom. Yugi would love him just as Kaiba had loved him. Forever.


	10. Chapter 10, Epilogue

**_This is it, thank you to everyone who supported this story, it means a lot to me. I did my best with this, so hopefully it doesn't suck._**

**_I hope you it, and review if you want to. I would like to see how you thought the ending was. =)_**

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><p>Strange how events of the past could reoccur again in someone's life. What made them even stranger is that it would be the one event that you would never expect. Yugi was thinking this as he was just dropped off by a white taxi in front of a partly burned down mansion. A mansion he had not laid eyes on for three years. Now it was uninhabited at the moment due to it being spring. By the time Seth returned in the winter, it was said to be completely restored. Why though, in the three years had it not been repaired? That question would never be answered.<p>

A more important question was why Yugi had come back here after many years? Why had he come back to the place where his heart had been so broken by love, jealousy, and death? Yugi was wondering the same thing. Only a few short months ago did he start having dreams, nightmares of this place. He would dream he was here again, wandering the halls hearing a voice call him softly. Almost as quiet as a whisper. The voice only called his name, and often when he woke up he was breathing heavily and sweating.

Then only a day ago he had received a bouquet of red roses, strangely there was a white rose in the middle of the buddle of red. A note had been attached to the roses, it had said. _"Return to France, return to the mansion of your past." _Yugi hadn't known what it meant but he felt he might get answers for his dreams if he came back. He had no idea who had sent them but hopefully here he would find out.

After leaving France all those years ago, him and Yami had split up, Yugi had found out that he had been right about Yami. He had only wanted him around when Seth wasn't. Now Yami has recovered, living in Egypt with Seth. Who Yugi had discovered was Kaiba's brother. So Yugi had gone back to his own life, he'd found a nice apartment back in Japan, living his life as he had been before any of this happened. Though once he received the roses on his doorstep at possibly midnight, Yugi had come here. Still not sure if he should have or not. Often trusting a mysterious note was not a good idea.

So now here he stood. In front of the doors of the mansion. The memories inside of this place almost made him want to cry. He had lost a great love inside the very walls of the mansion, even years later it still made his heart throb in pain. This reminded him of his nights alone In his apartment, how many times he had cried from the loneliness, the want to be with his still true love.

When the doors of the mansion all of a sudden burst open, Yugi stepped back from the surprise. He then heard it, that voice, calling his name. So softly that it was barely heard. Yugi was uncertain about this but he knew he needed to figure out what was going on. Yugi stepped up the steps then walked into the dark mansion. Seeing it now was so strange since the last time it had been so filed with light. Now it was dark, the smell of scorched wood was still lingering inside.

That day, of the fire when a tragic death of a phantom took place, Yugi learned that in the ballroom the chandelier had fallen and also started a great fire. Luckily no one had been killed but many were injured. Yugi still didn't know how the phantom had rigged the fireworks to blow up or the chandelier to fall but he was still a mystery to this very day.

_"Walk up the stairs…" _

Yugi listened and slowly walked up the stairs, trying to avoid stepping on pieces of burned wood on the steps. When he was at the top of the stairs he was so shocked to see that the only light was from the windows. Not seeing the candles lit everywhere was still strange. After all the last time he had been here everything was lit up and looked so untouchable. He wondered how long it would take them to repair this place.

_"Go right..."_

Yugi turned and went to the right just like the whisper had said. Yugi didn't know how he was hearing this voice but his only idea was that it was his self conscious. That he was just hearing this inside his head because this place could not be habited. There was no way. Even walking in here was a danger to how likely it was for something to break and him to fall through the floor or the ceiling to come tumbling down on him. Yugi walked for a few long moments. He walked past the room he had stayed in but didn't stop to go inside. He didn't want to remember the events that happened inside of there.

When he reached a doorway when an open door he heard the voice.

_"Stop. Walk inside…" _

Yugi did as the voice commanded. He stopped and walked inside the room. He gazed all around it, when he had stayed here so many years ago he had never walked into this room. There wasn't a piece of furniture to be found the only thing that captured his attention was the door on the other side of the room that led out to a small balcony. He approached it but didn't walk outside, he only looked over what he could see which was the backyard of the mansion, it was still beautiful despite the mansions appearance. Many of the flowers were in bloom and the large fountain made everything else so much more attractive.

When suddenly hearing the door slam, Yugi turned to see nothing. A chill crawling up his spine, his eyes then down casted to the floor, seeing a rose at his feet. He almost picked it up if it didn't start oozing some kind of dark red liquid that looked like blood. Yugi, revolted, backed away. When he looked up again a scream forced its way out of his throat now seeing a dark figure before him. Their hand outstretched towards him, the cuts on their pale hand blood dripped.

_"I've been waiting for you… waiting for you to die with me…"_

Yugi backed up. Fear taking over his whole body. What were they talking about?

_"I died with your rose, now wont you die with me? Don't you want to be with me forever?"_

Yugi stared at them, cowering away and wishing he had never come back here. "Who are you…?"

The shadow moved in front of Yugi, so quickly that Yugi didn't even see a step be taken. With a finger they traced over Yugi's cheek, ridding the tears that had began running down his cheeks. _"I am who has made you cry for so many years…"_

Yugi wanted to back away but he couldn't. He was trapped in their caress. The words they spoke he couldn't believe. "No your not… he's dead, and he has been… how could you try and impersonate someone I loved?"

His hand cringed before suddenly bringing it back to pull back the hood over his head in a swift motion. _"Am I not who you love anymore? Have you forgotten me?" _His voice was so harsh that Yugi only cried more.

Yugi stared at his face, blood was almost the only thing he saw behind his blue eyes. This had to be a nightmare, it couldn't be real, this couldn't be happening. He was dead.

_"I said I would love you forever, and I told you I once ran free, within the walls and mirrors, but would die in a red rose, your… red rose… the rose I gave to you so many years ago." _

Realization slowly came to Yugi, it was him, only he would know those things. Yugi gave him a pain filled expression. "I want to be with you forever…" he didn't understand how this was possible, but he didn't think he could question it. If he did, he'd never receive an answer.

The phantom reached into his coat to bring out a knife. He looked it over before holding it to Yugi, letting it skim underneath his chin. _"There is only one way, love…. only one way you can be with me forever. But the price is high, you must give up everything. Will you give up your life for me?"_

Yugi stared at him, his life was nothing but sorrow and tears without his phantom. Yugi pushed the knife away from his chin so that he could wrap his arms around him. "I will give up everything to be with you." he was tired of the loneliness He wanted to be with him forever. Yugi began crying into him. "I don't want to be alone anymore, I miss you!" there had never been anyone who understood him like he had. He would never find anyone else, he wanted all of the tears and lonely nights to end. They were making him crazy.

He placed a hand on the back of Yugi's head and gripped his hair firmly. _"Soon… love, you will never be alone. I will always be there with you." _he forced Yugi to look up at him. He gazed at Yugi a long moment before kissing him.

A kiss that literally took his breath away.


End file.
